Swedish Left Politicians Sent Letters to Palestinian Terrorists

The Finnish Broadcasting Company reported that Swedish left-wing politicians had sent letters of encouragement to Palestinian terrorists imprisoned by Israel. One of the recipients was Ahmad al-Moghrabi, who had ordered an attack on a family gathering in which eleven people, including two small children, were killed.

The Swedes had asked Palestinians living in Sweden for a list of people to whom they could send letters, and the Palestinians had provided them with such a list, which included terrorists.

The Swedish politicians are now expressing regret over what happened and blaming the Palestinians for their mistake. The fact remains, however, that even in Israel, people are presumably not imprisoned — at least not for long periods — without good reason. Not even Palestinians.

It remains to be seen whether what happened will have any effect on support for the Swedish left-wing party. And if it does, whether the effect will be positive or negative from their perspective — in other words, whether there is a pro-terrorism sentiment among Swedes of immigrant background who typically vote for green and left-wing parties, or whether they have already adopted the Western view that terrorism is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment
Who Is Responsible: The Donor or the Recipient of Aid?

Rain Scald: The Future of a New Sexually Transmitted Disease

The Finnish public broadcaster Yle has reported that a new sexually transmitted infection has begun spreading in Europe. In fact, the disease is one that has long been known to affect horses and cattle: rain scald (also known as dermatophilosis). Previously, it had occurred mainly in people who worked closely with these animals, but it has now started to spread to others as well.

The disease is caused by bacteria and produces scaly skin lesions, raised bumps, and pus-filled blisters on various parts of the body. So far, however, it has responded well to antibiotic treatment, and the situation remains under control.

The infection has not been spreading among people engaging in conventional sexual activity. Rather, according to Yle's report, it "is currently found mainly among men who have visited gay saunas in France, Spain, Germany, and Sweden. Transmission has occurred through sexual contact or other forms of close skin-to-skin contact."

* * *

It remains to be seen whether this emerging disease will develop into a genuine epidemic or remain a passing curiosity. In this regard, bisexual men are likely to play a key role, as they could enable the bacterium to cross the gender barrier from gay men to heterosexual women.

If rain scald does begin to spread more widely, another important question will be whether the pathogen starts adapting to humans. In other words, will genetic changes be selected in bacterial strains that circulate between people, making transmission during sexual contact more efficient than it is today?

Should that happen, the next likely development would be the evolution of antibiotic resistance. As a result, treating the disease would become more difficult than it is at present.

For now, we can only wait and see what the future brings. At present, the only certainty is that abstaining from sex, or having sex exclusively with one faithful partner—and, apparently, also using a physical barrier such as a condom—prevents infection.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland's COVID-19 policy saved approximately 2,600 people from death
A factory of five billion mosquitoes
Evolution in action

Jimmie Åkesson Is Sweden’s Most Widely Accepted Politician

Today I read an interesting piece of information on social media. According to it, Jimmie Åkesson (Sweden Democrats) is the most widely accepted politician in Sweden.

It therefore seems very much as if our western neighbor is beginning to wake up to reality. But the question is whether it is already too late.

This can be examined, for example, in light of the numbers of ethnic backgrounds residing in Sweden that have proven to be problematic.

Information on this is provided, for instance, by Wikipedia, according to which in 2023 Sweden was home to, among others—by country of birth—approximately 200,000 Syrians, just under 150,000 Iraqis, 86,000 Iranians, 68,000 Somalis, 67,000 Afghans, 56,000 Turks, 49,000 Eritreans, 29,000 Lebanese, and 28,000 Pakistanis. And, of course, all of their descendants.

Out of the total population of 10.5 million people, around 7.6 million are ethnically Swedish, and the rest were born in countries other than those mentioned above, the most significant of which are Finland, Poland, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, and India. Of children, only about two thirds are still ethnically Swedish.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Two Men Sentenced for Raping Underage Girls
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
The Left Wants to Grill a Swedish Minister Over His Son’s Past – What’s Really Behind It?

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Åkesson on hyväksytyin ruotsalaispoliitikko

Finally, Honest Reporting on Immigration and Crime

Finnish media usually mislead Finns when reporting crimes involving people of foreign background by failing to mention that the perpetrators are immigrants. That’s why it was gratifying to see that Uutissuomalainen published this morning a crime report written in a very factual and professional manner. According to the article, “In downtown Jyväskylä, a group of about ten young people of foreign background followed the underage victim in order to rob them.”

By factual, I mean that the reader doesn’t have to guess whether the issue at hand stems from a failure in upbringing or in immigration policy. Instead, it becomes clear that the political responsibility for what happened lies with those parties and politicians who have been steering Finland down the same path as Sweden.

Toward the end of the article, it is also mentioned that the authorities have a good understanding of who belongs to this group of about ten immigrants, who have also committed other similar crimes. Therefore, the problems they cause are likely to be dealt with in the near future. Helping in this effort is the fact that – according to Detective Inspector Eeva-Maria Tahvanainen – “The Police Department of Inner Finland now has an entirely new unit focused on combating street crime, which will take charge of cases related to such offenses.”

I would like to thank the people of Inner Finland for this initiative and, sitting here contentedly behind my keyboard, wish the Central Finland Police the best of luck and success in pursuing violent criminals! I also wish that Finland’s ministers and members of parliament would recognize the facts and use common sense when making immigration policy decisions.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
Terrorism Landscape in the EU Contradicts the Narrative Presented by EU Politicians and Media
Finland’s Minister of Finance Believes Not All Cultures Are Equally Good

Two Recent Life-Threatening Crimes in Finland

A recent news report stated that a 15-year-old student at a Finnish school had stabbed another student of the same age. According to the police, the perpetrator is currently at large, but his identity is known.

No description of the attacker has been released in the news reports, so I looked into what kind of school the incident took place in. The school is located in Lahti, a city of about 120,000 residents roughly an hour’s drive from Helsinki.

According to an education website, the school serves not only degree-preparatory students but also lower secondary students in grades 7–9, students in flexible basic education, and those in preparatory education for immigrants. The school has a total of about 660 students and offers specialized instruction in sports and STEM subjects.

Salpausselkä Comprehensive School was founded in 1957, and an extensive renovation was completed in 2017. The facilities are modern and multipurpose. There are about 60 teachers, teaching assistants, and other staff members in total. The school engages in international cooperation with partner schools abroad and maintains broad partnerships with local companies.

The aforementioned degree-preparatory program is intended for learners who do not yet have a secondary qualification and who, for one reason or another, need preparatory training — in practice, this means immigrants or Finnish students who have dropped out of school.

It remains to be seen when the police will apprehend the attacker — and what information about them will eventually be made public.

* * *

The school stabbing in Lahti is not the only recent act of violence making headlines. Yesterday, in Helsinki, a 20-year-old young man reportedly attempted to shoot a 16-year-old boy he knew.

According to a police spokesperson, “extensive investigative measures have been carried out, through which we have been able to clarify further details about the course of events. Based on this information, I consider that the suspected act meets the criteria for attempted murder.”

It thus appears that Finland may be rapidly following what is often referred to as “the Swedish path” — marked by a sharp increase in violent crimes connected to the country’s demographic changes in recent decades, something Swedish authorities have been warning their Finnish counterparts about for years.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Attitudes Toward Immigrants Are a Problem in Schools
678 Bomb Attacks in Six Months: Netherlands Faces Alarming Trend
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment

Two Men Sentenced for Raping Underage Girls

Huge cruise ships operate between Finland and Sweden, serving not only as a means of transportation but also as venues for leisure and entertainment. In other words, they are not just vehicles but massive entertainment centers.

A recent news report states that prison sentences have been handed down as a result of rapes of underage girls that took place on such a ship. Farid Asghar, now 37, was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison for sexual abuse of a child. 

Asghar was also sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in prison for aggravated child rape and aggravated rape committed in a remote parking lot. Altogether, he was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison for sexual offenses. His friend Mujtaba Adam Khan, now 40, was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months in prison.  

As the first names of the convicted indicate, both men are immigrants who came to Finland as humanitarian refugees from developing countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish Immigration Policy Aims to Maximize Benefits and Minimize Drawbacks
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges
Why Is the Case of Issam Rafil, Convicted of a Sexual Offense in Finland, Important for Britain?

Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?

In Finland, there is a taxpayer-funded media company – Yleisradio often shortened as Yle – whose purpose is to produce truthful reporting. Unfortunately, the company does not always seem to grasp this fact; instead, its programming often clearly reflects the journalists’ own – green-leftist – political views.

At worst, this manifests itself in perspectives favoring the political left and even in what appears to be the deliberate misleading of the audience. A good example of this was provided by Yle’s recent article titled “Report: Finland has succeeded well in integrating immigrants, only Sweden ahead.”

In reality, according to the article itself, the report in question did not actually address immigrant integration, but rather focused mainly on financial and other support directed at them, as well as, for example, opportunities for newcomers to participate in society. In other words, Finland has not necessarily succeeded in integrating immigrants; instead, it has provided the second most services. This assessment did not include any evaluation of the actual outcome – that is, the success of integration.

Therefore – my dear readers – each of you may consider for yourselves whether the generous funding of Yleisradio with Finnish taxpayers’ money is truly justified. Or is it rather a case of misuse of people’s money?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
An Economist’s Fact-Based Response to Polarizing Tax Claims
Acts of Vandalism Against a Political Party
Orwellian Big Brother monitors journalists of Finland's Public Broadcasting Company Yle

Explosion in Oslo, Norway

It is well known that Swedish society has changed as a result of immigration—from an idyllic "people’s home" into a battlefield of criminal gangs. According to recent news, the same development now appears to be taking place in Norway.

Last night in the capital, Oslo, an explosion occurred. Afterwards, police detonated a hand grenade found at the scene and arrested three underage youths. The incident was linked to a conflict between criminal gangs.

According to Wikipedia, as of 1 January 2024, Norway had 931,081 residents who were immigrants, representing 16.8% of the country’s total population of approximately 5.54 million. In addition, 221,459 people (4.0%) were born in Norway to two foreign-born parents, bringing the total population with an immigrant background to 1,152,540, or 20.8% of the population. The largest immigrant groups by country of birth were Poland (109,654), Ukraine (65,566), Lithuania (42,733), Syria (38,708), Sweden (36,612), Somalia (27,665), Germany (26,860), Eritrea (25,137), the Philippines (24,718) and Iraq (23,603).

It remains to be seen which of these groups, if any, are connected to the Oslo explosions. My own suspicion, however, is that it is not among the three largest immigrant-background groups, but rather involves criminals originating from the Middle East or Africa. That, however, remains to be seen—provided that the media chooses to publish the information.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Immigration Driving the Nordic Countries Apart?
Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped
Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Swedish Ministers Condemn Antisemitic Protest Outside Jewish School

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard commented on social media about a demonstration held in front of a Jewish elementary school, which was directed against Jews. According to her, “This is not about freedom of speech, but about creating terror and fear among children living in Sweden. Their families have been persecuted for generations. I feel nothing but disgust toward those who do this.”

She further stated that “this is an entirely new movement that is emerging. It hides behind freedom of speech, but does not respect it at all. The demonstrators are doing more than just protesting. This has no place in Sweden.”

The country’s Minister of Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, is also concerned about the demonstration. According to her social media update, “yet another line has been crossed. This is revolting.”

* * *

Unfortunately, this incident is by no means unique in Sweden, as antisemitism has increased in the country almost explosively. Statistics illustrate this: in the autumn of 2022, police reports were filed in 24 cases of hate crimes with an identified antisemitic motive. A year later, during the same period, as many as 110 such reports were made.Based on press photos of the aforementioned case, it appears that both Swedes and Islamic immigrants were present—adults carrying Palestinian flags and anti-Israel banners. No physical violence or weapons, however, were visible.

It remains to be seen how the former ‘people’s home’ will treat its Jewish minority in the future, as the Muslim minority of at least one million people continues to grow rapidly. The question is whether peaceful coexistence between different religious groups will endure, or whether at some point demonstrations will escalate into more serious clashes.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Immigration Driving the Nordic Countries Apart?
The Left Wants to Grill a Swedish Minister Over His Son’s Past – What’s Really Behind It?
Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden

Is Immigration Driving the Nordic Countries Apart?

The bigger Nordic countries – Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland – are generally seen as a highly unified group of states, where democratic decision-making works exceptionally well. At the same time, however, they have undergone major demographic changes as a result of humanitarian immigration, which will likely have a significant impact on their future.

Sweden, as a former great power, is the largest Nordic country, governed by the local EPP together with a smaller EPP party and a liberal RE party. The government is also supported in parliament by an ECR party outside the coalition, whose immigration policy goals have been included in the government program.

This unusual arrangement stems from the fact that Sweden’s immigration policy has been extremely liberal, which has made the country’s population more multicultural than in the other Nordic countries. At the same time, the related challenges have also been greater.

This is reflected in the support for Swedish parties. The largest party in the country is still the Social Democrats (S&D group in the European Parliament), with around 34% support, but a party belonging to the ECR group that is critical of multiculturalism has risen to compete with the EPP for second place, with about 20% support. The country’s other parties are small.

Denmark is currently governed by a three-party coalition consisting of the Social Democrats (S&D) and two RE parties.

Unlike in the other Nordic countries, Denmark’s S&D has long pursued a strict immigration policy, which has reduced immigration-related problems. This helped their support rise a few years ago to very high levels – even around 35% – but in recent years it has dropped to about 20%. Despite this, the party remains clearly the most popular in the country.

Denmark’s second most popular party has been the Greens (G/EFA), with support around 15%. They are followed slightly behind by the RE-affiliated Venstre party, and behind them an ECR party at about 10%, which is slightly higher than the Danish PfE group, whose support has risen significantly this year. In addition, a large number of smaller parties influence Danish politics, including the smallest RE party in government.

In Norway, the country is currently governed by a minority government of the local S&D party, but parliamentary elections are being held today and tomorrow, after which a new government will likely be formed.

Humanitarian immigration in Norway has been more limited, and thus the related problems have been smaller than in Sweden. Nevertheless, the local ECR group has in recent years competed for the position of the country’s largest party alongside the S&D and the EPP. Meanwhile, the far left (SV) has lost support.

In my home country of Finland, the government is formed by two EPP parties, an ECR party, and an RE party representing the interests of the Swedish-speaking population. The government has pursued a strict economic policy driven by the larger EPP party, while also following the relatively strict immigration policy demanded by the ECR party in its government program.

During the current parliamentary term, the support for Finland’s EPP parties and the language-based party has remained relatively stable (around 20%, 3%, and 4%, respectively). By contrast, the Finns Party’s support collapsed under government responsibility, falling from around 20% in the 2023 elections to about half of that, though in recent months it has started to rise again.

Among the opposition parties, support has grown for the S&D party, which has risen to 26%, making it clearly Finland’s most popular party at the moment. Another recent gainer has been the former agrarian party (around 15%), which for some reason belongs to the RE group in the European Parliament. Meanwhile, the Greens’ support has long been in decline (8%), while the far-left party belonging to the LEFT group has remained fairly stable in 10%.

As this brief overview of Nordic politics shows, there are significant political differences among these countries regarding immigration. It remains to be seen how these differences develop in the future – and especially whether Sweden’s long-standing open immigration policy will lead it to diverge from the other Nordic countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
No Low-Hanging Fruits Among Russian Neighbors
Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped
Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Attempted Homicides in Finland Reach Highest Level of the 2000s

In January–June, Finnish authorities became aware of a total of 48 homicides, which is four more than during the same period last year. Last year as well, the number of homicides increased compared to previous years.

In Finland, as many as 48 homicides were committed in the first half of this year. This is the highest number recorded for the first half of a year since 2014.

The change in the number of homicides has been rapid, as in 2023 the total was only 57. Last year, the number rose to 89, and this year—if the pace of the first half continues—it could approach one hundred.

Whether one hundred homicides is a lot or a little is not a straightforward question. One only needs to look back one generation, to the 1990s, when an average of about 140 homicides were committed annually—nearly half more than in the first half of this year.

On the other hand, there has also been an increase in attempted homicides in the first half of the year, with as many as 209 cases reported to the police during the first six months. This means that the number of attempted homicides in Finland was the highest in the entire 2000s.

Naturally, one might wonder whether something unusual lies behind the rise in homicides. So, I ran a Google search with the word “murhasi” (meaning “murdered”) to find a few random cases to examine.

In the first case, a 60-year-old man—apparently of Roma background based on his name—was reported to have been convicted in court of murdering his partner with a knife. In the second case, a 30-year-old man is suspected of murdering his mother, also with a bladed weapon. In the third case, a man in his thirties killed his parents, both over 70, with a pocketknife when they came to his apartment.

Based on these examples, the use of knives continues to be a recurring feature in Finnish homicides, meaning that in this sense nothing particularly unusual has occurred. Thus, at least for now, the share of immigrants in Finnish homicides is not emphasized in the same way as, for example, in Sweden, where by 2017 their share had already risen to 72 percent.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Sudanese Man Killed His Wife – So What?
The Finnish Stabber Has a Long Track Record of Violence
The root causes of racist violence

678 Bomb Attacks in Six Months: Netherlands Faces Alarming Trend

Sweden’s problems with integrating immigrants have, years ago, already led to the transformation of the former “people’s home” into a society plagued by bombings and sexual crimes committed by criminal gangs. Now, however, it seems that Sweden may have found itself a “competitor” in this regard.

This is because, according to a recent news report, the Netherlands recorded no fewer than 678 bomb attacks in the first half of this year, while the corresponding figure for Sweden was “only” 104. In the country’s second-largest city, Rotterdam, alone, there were 150 bomb attacks.

According to Dutch police spokesperson Jasmijn de Vries, “the current trend is extremely worrying, especially considering the negative impact it has on citizens’ everyday lives.” This concern is, of course, well-founded, but it should also be noted that the situations in Sweden and the Netherlands differ significantly.

In Sweden, the violence is often linked to gang violence and drug trafficking, whereas in the Netherlands it is a broader security phenomenon in which the use of homemade explosives has been “normalized” as part of criminal activity. The motives vary, and often the incidents are acts of harassment or intimidation, rather than the kind of organized gang warfare seen in Sweden. What the two countries do have in common, however, is the use of children and young boys to carry out the attacks.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Getting Populists to Govern Responsibly: What the Netherlands and Finland Can Teach Us 
Should the Dutch Do Something About the Fact That Immigrants Don't Tolerate Visiting Jews?
A woman's logic, Putin's test, and the Netherlands' change

Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment

One of the consequences of the immigration policies practiced by Western countries has been the emergence of Islamist terrorists in Europe. This naturally means a deterioration in the security situation in the West, but also an increased burden on judicial and prison systems.

This came to my mind while reading a news article stating that a "Swedish man," Osama Krayem, had participated in the murder of a Jordanian pilot in 2014 and has now been sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes and terrorism. The same man had previously been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2015 Paris and 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks.

Osama Krayem grew up in Malmö, the Swedish city most affected by immigration, and became radicalized already as a teenager. When the opportunity arose, he traveled to Syria and joined the terrorist group ISIS.

According to the court proceedings, Osama Krayem led the pilot of the plane shot down by ISIS into a metal cage and guarded it until it was set on fire with the man still alive inside. Thus, the sentence handed down now is undoubtedly well deserved, though it naturally cannot undo what was done.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Activism Without Truth
Western Countries Have Neither a Reason Nor a Need to Accept Asylum Seekers from Syria or Gaza
Three Islamists Arrested in Finland on Suspicion of Belonging to a Terrorist Group

 

The Left Wants to Grill a Swedish Minister Over His Son’s Past – What’s Really Behind It?

Swedish society is famously in disarray as a result of its immigration policies. Sweden has climbed to the top of the Western world in areas such as sexual crimes, shootings, and explosions. As a result, the Swedish police have warned their Finnish colleagues to prevent a similar development in Finland.

In this context, it was interesting to note the recent controversy in Sweden involving the Minister for Migration. It emerged that the minister's son has participated in activities of the far-right martial arts group "Active Club" and has also had connections with other far-right groups. Consequently, the political left in the country has demanded the minister’s resignation.

The minister himself has stated that he has no intention of resigning and that his son is no longer involved with far-right circles. However, the minister had previously emphasized the responsibility of parents for criminal and violent youth—something that appears to be unforgivable in the eyes of the political left, as it can easily be interpreted as criticism of the parents of violent immigrant youths.

As the Swedish parliament's summer session ends, the entire political left in Sweden is seeking to summon the minister for a hearing on the matter. This seems to be an attempt to gain public visibility and local support among the immigrant-origin population.

The latter motive would be logical, as although immigrants from developing countries have traditionally voted for left-wing parties, an increasing number of them have turned to support the party Nyans—that is, an Islamic party that now threatens the left’s dominant position among so-called "new Swedes".

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
EU Commission Should Take Migration and Related Crime Seriously 
Police to Finnish Graduates: Leave Fireworks, Blades, and Booze at Home
Why Integration Policy Must Confront Cultural Conflicts

EU Commission Should Take Migration and Related Crime Seriously

A Finnish district court has sentenced Kerime Örcel, 30, and Johan Araf Josef Otterdahl, 22, to long prison terms in a criminal case involving the manufacture of a thermos bomb and aggravated drug offenses. In a press conference, the police stated they suspect the planned bombing attack was commissioned by a Swedish criminal organization.

Otterdahl had agreed to detonate the thermos bomb at the entrance of an apartment building in an immigrant-dominated suburb in the Helsinki region and had received the assignment from a Swedish criminal group, which had promised him a reward for carrying out the act. The bomb had a lethal blast radius of approximately three meters and could have caused shrapnel injuries within an 11-meter range.

Örcel was apprehended at the end of September when she transported 157 kilograms of amphetamines and 20,000 ecstasy tablets across the border into Finland. This is the largest single amphetamine seizure in Finnish criminal history. Otterdahl, on the other hand, was arrested later in the autumn.

* * *

The above case is just one example of how the problems of Swedish society are also spreading to Finland as immigrant-background criminals expand their territory across the Baltic Sea. So far, the Finnish police have succeeded quite well in preventing larger problems, but time will tell how long this can continue.

That is why it is important that Swedes also take their problems seriously and prevent them from spreading across the Baltic. Toward Denmark, however, it is already too late, as Swedish criminals now move rather freely across the Danish straits to commit crimes (example).

All of this also demonstrates that the migration-related problems faced by European countries are by no means local, and therefore cannot be resolved solely through local measures. That is why the EU Commission and politicians should take migration into Europe and the related crime seriously—unlike what has happened in recent years.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Getting Populists to Govern Responsibly: What the Netherlands and Finland Can Teach Us
Police to Finnish Graduates: Leave Fireworks, Blades, and Booze at Home
Why Integration Policy Must Confront Cultural Conflicts

Police to Finnish Graduates: Leave Fireworks, Blades, and Booze at Home

As many know, Europe has changed rapidly in recent decades. In the United Kingdom, massive grooming gangs have come to light; France and Germany have experienced acts of terrorism; and in Sweden, there are residential areas where emergency vehicles will not enter without police protection.

In Finland, changes have so far been more modest, but today the police issued a statement concerning next weekend’s school graduation celebrations, advising: “Leave fireworks, bladed weapons, and intoxicants out of the festivities!” This is because — according to the police — “the past few years have shown that although celebrations have mostly gone peacefully, as night falls, party venues become unsafe.”

Of course, young people finishing school have known how to use intoxicants before, but new phenomena in recent years include threats — and even use — of bladed weapons, as well as firing fireworks directly at people. Everyone can speculate on the reasons, and many may even know the real cause behind the increase in these incidents.

Still, one can hope that graduation celebrations across the country will pass peacefully, without anyone suffering stab wounds — let alone losing their life — or burn injuries caused by fireworks. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Increasing Criminality Among Swedish Students Stems from Their Values
Finland to Tighten Citizenship Requirements Further
The Swedish Immigration Catastrophe – A Cautionary Tale

The Poor Can't Afford to Buy Second-best

The defense industry of my home country produces high-quality equipment. For example, the future standard firearms for Finnish and Swedish soldiers are expected to be based on the entirely new Sako M23 system, covering everything from assault rifles to precision weapons. When it comes to troop transport, one of the best options already available is the 6x6 armored personnel carrier, considered the best in the world and recently sold, for example, to Germany.

Still, it is clear that a country the size of Finland cannot rely solely on domestically produced weapons systems. It also needs weaponry manufactured elsewhere. Therefore, attention must be turned toward systems regarded as the best in the world in each category.

In this regard, it is significant that the Israeli Defense Forces have recently demonstrated their effectiveness in Syria, Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon. Following these displays, there can be no doubt that the armed forces of the Jewish state possess top-tier weapons systems.

This applies to both imported and domestically produced military equipment. That, in turn, means that Finland—located right next to Russia—is extremely interested in such systems. However, the security-policy-irresponsible left, which sympathizes with the Palestinians, has taken a stance against this.

The most controversial case has been the Israeli-made David’s Sling, a high-altitude air defense missile system. Its necessity has been recently demonstrated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Given that Finland has a vastly larger and extremely dangerous neighbor, only the best available equipment should be considered for procurement—and David’s Sling systems have indeed already been ordered.

Finland is also renewing its navy, and for that purpose, both new and older vessels are being equipped with Gabriel surface-to-surface missiles from Israel. Additionally, counter-battery radars were acquired, as their necessity became apparent early on in the war in Ukraine.

Beyond these, the Finnish Defence Forces use a range of Israeli-made weapons, including Spike anti-tank and coastal missiles, Orbiter 2 mini-drones, and communication and information systems. When you're poor, you can't afford to buy second-best.

Of course, one can only hope that none of the aforementioned weapons—or others, such as the recently ordered F-35 fighters or Leopard tanks—will ever need to be used. If that turns out to be the case, it will demonstrate that a top-tier army equipped with the best weapons available is a sufficient deterrent even against an imperialist like Vladimir Putin. One would hope that this is also understood by the political left, who are still dreaming of their own fantasy world where all nations are happy and friendly.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
From Finnish Neutrality to Russian Ruins
Finland Boosts Military Self-Sufficiency and Support for Ukraine
Russia to Triple Its Military Presence on Finland’s Border

Did Russia Realize the Risk Was Too Great?

A decision point has been reached regarding Russia's "shadow fleet" operating in the Baltic Sea. Estonia recently failed to stop one of the vessels after Russia offered it support from its air force. At the same time, two Portuguese F-16 fighter jets took to the skies from the nearby Ämari Air Base to support the Estonians—and in Finland, at least one F-18 fighter flew faster than the speed of sound for some reason, according to my own observation, although this has not been publicly acknowledged.

Fortunately, the incident did not escalate into an aerial battle, but it still shows that the risk of escalation over the Baltic Sea is very real. Thus, it is only a matter of time before some sort of confrontation occurs between Russia and NATO.

However, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has now announced: "A Russian ship from the 'shadow fleet' that is under sanctions carried out suspicious maneuvers near the power cable connecting Poland with Sweden. After a successful intervention by our military, the ship sailed off to one of the Russian ports. The ORP 'Heweliusz' is en route to the site of the incident."

It remains to be seen whether the successful interception of the vessel is a sign that even the Russians may have realized that protecting shadow fleet vessels with air support poses an enormous risk. And therefore, for now at least, they may have decided to refrain from such actions. At least, one can hope so.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Did a Finnish Fighter Jet Rush to Intercept a Russian Sukhoi Yesterday?
Be Ready: Russia May Launch Another "Special Operation"
Sabotage in the Baltic Sea Sparks Calls for New Maritime Borders

Why Integration Policy Must Confront Cultural Conflicts

A Finnish court has sentenced a man with an Iraqi background to more than six years in prison for aggravated human trafficking, child abduction, and aggravated deprivation of liberty. The case involved a marriage to a 13-year-old girl, with whom the man had three children. The court also found that he had subjected the girl to sexual violence, taken the children from Finland to Sweden, and prevented her from maintaining contact with them.

It is clearly important that the justice system holds individuals accountable for actions that are incompatible with the legal and moral standards of Finnish society. One can hope that this is an isolated case, and not representative of broader cultural attitudes.

However, it is worth noting that Iraq has in recent years passed legislation that permits the marriage of girls as young as nine. This raises questions about how certain legal or cultural norms in some countries might differ significantly from those in Western societies, and how such differences can manifest when individuals move between cultures.

I raise this case because it highlights some of the challenges that humanitarian immigration can pose to host societies, particularly when deeply rooted cultural differences are involved. Child marriage is one example, but it is not the only area where tensions may arise.

For this reason, I believe it would be beneficial for integration policies in Finland to place greater emphasis on encouraging newcomers to adopt the norms and legal expectations of their new country. Rather than placing emphasis on the preservation of cultural practices that may fundamentally conflict with the principles of Western societies, integration efforts should focus on ensuring that newcomers adopt the core values of their new country—for example those related to human rights, gender equality, and the protection of children.

Such an approach would not only help prevent serious harm, as in the case discussed, but would also better support immigrants in building stable, lawful, and fulfilling lives in their new home.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Statistics on Sexual Crimes Committed by Immigrants in Finland
A Homosexual Rape Underscores the Need for Change in Immigration Policy
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?

The Increasing Criminality Among Swedish Students Stems from Their Values

Sweden has for decades been a "superpower in humanitarian immigration", which has significantly altered its demographic structure. At the same time, the country's security situation has deteriorated year by year, and there are fears that criminal immigrant gangs will spread to Finland – a concern that the Swedish police have also warned their neighbors, including us Finns, about.

Against this background, it was interesting to note that the Swedish government is planning a law that would allow schools to search students' bags if they are suspected of carrying a weapon. Additionally, Swedes are prepared to invest approximately 27 million euros in school security and locking systems, as well as other similar safety measures.

Furthermore, the government is planning to impose an obligation on schools to report suspicious incidents and threats to the police. This would prevent the tendency to overlook or downplay unpleasant issues that have taken root in society.

Even more striking was the finding in a report published by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) at the end of 2024. According to the report, 38.7% of ninth-grade boys and 23.3% of girls consider it completely or fairly acceptable to hit someone who has said something offensive. Moreover, as many as half of ninth-grade students—approximately fifteen-year-olds—have, according to their own reports, committed a crime within the past 12 months. The proportion is the same for both boys and girls.

As a consequence of these attitudes, violence has increased by more than 150% over the most recent measured ten-year period (2013–2023). According to criminology professor Olof Wikström, these crimes are not committed "despite knowing that they are wrong, but rather because they perceive them as right from the perspective of their own values and morals."

These facts should be acknowledged across the entire European Union. At the same time, it is essential to understand that Sweden serves as a cautionary example of failed policies, and its experiences should be heeded throughout the Union.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sweden is Soon Set to Surpass the One Million Mark for Illiterate People
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges
100 percent of the violence is related to migration