Finland Times

The committee’s proposal would make it possible to protect the confidentiality of a message while acquiring knowledge pertaining to national security.

The intelligence gathering methods could be used, for example, when there is a reference to terrorism, violent radicalisation or foreign intelligence activities.

The proposal would require an amendment of the Constitution, as the current interpretation of the law does not permit breaching messages, phone calls or other confidential communications for the sake of national security.

The constitutional amendments proposed by the committee, however, would allow large-scale monitoring of communications.

“It might mean, for example, monitoring two IP addresses or phone numbers, in the same way that crimes are investigated,” said the committee chairman, Ministry of Justice Director General Sami Manninen.

The amendment to the Constitution proposed by the committee would allow changing the law, so it would be possible to gather information more widely about military activity or other activities which threaten national security. It refers to an activity which is not punishable and from which there is no clear criminal suspicion.

“The information gathering could be, for example, listening to regional state military conversations, as they concern the placement of tanks,” Manninen said.

According to Manninen, activities which seriously threaten national security are those which endanger the basic functions of the society. He pointed out that national security is not as easy to define, likening it to, for example, the safety of the individual.