TV report: Ville Itälä leaked information on Rusi espionage suspicions

Ville Itälä

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According to a television news report on YLE TV1 on Wednesday evening, former Interior Minister Ville Itälä (Nat. Coalition), who is currently a Member of the European Parliament, is believed to have been behind the leak of information of an espionage investigation involving political scientist and former Presidential aide Alpo Rusi.
      In 2002 the Finnish Security Police (SUPO) began an investigation into suspicions that Rusi may have engaged in espionage on behalf of the East German security service Stasi in the 1970s. Information of the investigation spread rapidly to politicians and the media. State Prosecutor Jarmo Rautakoski later saw no grounds to prosecute Rusi.
      According to the TV news report, the recent police investigation into the leak revealed that Itälä had mentioned the suspicion of espionage to outside politicians.
     
After the news broadcast Parliamentary Ombudsman Riitta-Leena Paunio gave a statement according to which Itälä had not been questioned as a suspect in connection with the investigation into the leak.
      Itälä says in an interview with the newspaper Turun Sanomat today that when suspicions arose of Rusi’s possible involvement with Stasi,  the head of SUPO Seppo Nevala had recommended that Esko Aho, the chairman of the largest opposition party, the Centre Party, should be informed. Also taking part in the decision to inform Aho was Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen (SDP).
     
The investigation into the leak of information of the Rusi investigation has just been completed. Suspicions focus on a civil servant who has worked with SUPO.
      The identity of the suspect has not been made public, but Helsingin Sanomat has information that the person involved is a mid-ranking SUPO official.
      The material from the preliminary investigation is to be delivered to the Parliamentary Ombudsman soon. If the Ombudsman feels that Itälä may have broken the law, the case will go before the Parliament’s Constitutional Committee.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  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)

Helsingin Sanomat