Debate over disclosure of Stasi material heats up as Security Police director resigns

Vanhanen says government will discuss SUPO issues

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) sees the debate over the material held by the Finnish Security Police (SUPO) on contacts between Finns and the former East German security police Stasi to be exaggerated.
      His comments come in the wake of the resignation of SUPO director Seppo Nevala, who will probably be replaced by Ilkka Salmi, who is currently serving as special aide to Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (Nat. Coalition Party).
      The 59-year-old Nevala opted for retirement for medical reasons. Helsingin Sanomat has learned that he had suffered a burnout, following pressures arising from suspicions of impropriety linked with the Sonera telephone monitoring scandal, and the investigation into allegations of espionage on behalf of Stasi made against Alpo Rusi. Rusi was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.
     
Recent controversy on the so-called Rosenholz material with information on Stasi contacts by Finns reportedly had nothing to do with Nevala's resignation.
      The microfilmed Rosenholz material is a code key produced by Stasi, with 186 number codes which include data on Finnish information sources, and on Stasi recruiters operating in Finland. Stasi had an estimated 18 to 20 Finnish sources of information.
      The CIA got a copy of the Rosenholz microfilm in the 1990s. It planned to return the material to Germany, but first asked for permission from countries whose citizens are mentioned in the material.
      When Finland was approached in 2000, the answer was positive, on the condition that Finnish officials and experts are given access to the material, and that Finns are informed of the information on themselves.
      Interior Minister Anne Holmlund said in a television interview last week that intelligence gathering by SUPO is based on a confidential relationship with the intelligence services of other countries.
      Professor Seppo Hentilä, an expert on matters related to the Cold War, said that releasing the material to an independent body of researchers and legal experts would ease the atmosphere of secrecy surrounding the Stasi information.
      Hentilä says that SUPO has worked against openness in society through its "contradictory" statements.
      He nots that Finland does not need permission from the CIA for any disclosure, as Germany and Denmark have already passed the information on to experts in those countries.
     
SUPO itself sees the material to be part of its own archives, which are to be kept classified for 60 years.
      The debate on the Rosenholz material was sparked by Tampere-based newspaper Aamulehti, which began to make public the views on the Stasi question held by various government ministers. In August, a court case will be heard in which Alpo Rusi is calling for monetary damages from the state for what he sees as a wrongful criminal investigation against him.
     
Commenting on the matter at an agricultural fair in Kuopio on Saturday, Prime Minister Vanhanen said that the issue will be discussed further within the government, if necessary. "However, I emphasise strongly, that SUPO, whose task is to deal with significant questions related to national security, has to have the right to hold secret information", Vanhanen added.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Court rejects Alpo Rusi call to publish Stasi lists ((26.4.2007)
  Parliamentary Ombudsman: Security Police did not break law in Rusi investigation (4.2.2005)
  Itälä defends decision to inform opposition leader of Rusi espionage investigation (14.1.2005)
  TV report: Ville Itälä leaked information on Rusi espionage suspicions (13.1.2005)
  Most damaging part of Stasi intelligence-gathering was flow of information to KGB (6.5.2004)
  Alpo Rusi: More than a year of silent torment over espionage allegations (16.9.2003)
  Alpo Rusi accuses Security Police of political conspiracy (16.9.2003)
  State Prosecutor: no evidence of aggravated espionage in Rusi case (12.6.2003)

Helsingin Sanomat