Website on Finnish server starts raising funds for Chechen rebels

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A controversial Internet site that supports the Chechen separatist movement is set to start collecting money for the Chechen rebels. The pages operate out of Finland from a server maintained by Helsinki-based IT entrepreneur Mikael Storsjö.
      Starting today, the public will be able to donate money through the kavkazcenter.com website onto a Finnish bank account from where the funds will be directed to the Caucasus.
      Since actual fundraising in Finland requires a permit from the authorities, donations to the Chechen rebels have been arranged in the form of support memberships in an organisation that claims to promote free communication in the Caucasus.
      This latest development was reported by two Finnish dailies, Turun Sanomat and Aamulehti, in their Thursday issues.
     
Storsjö first launched the Chechen rebels' website out of Finland in September 2004. Owing to the political stir that followed, Storsjö backed off and shut down the server in October. Pressure from the Finnish Security Police (SUPO) aided him in this decision.
      Storsjö re-opened the website at the beginning of this month. Apart from fundraising, the site is to host an online shop selling items such as documentary films, books, and T-shirts.
      According to Storsjö, the funds go to supporters of the armed struggle for liberty in Chechnya. Storsjö has previously said that his aim is to support freedom of press in the Caucasus.
      The Parliamentary committee for constitutional law heard SUPO on the matter on Thursday.
      According to SUPO department head Hannu Moilanen, the website in question falls under Finnish freedom of speech. "It is too early to react to the fundraising aspect as we do not know yet what this topic entails". Moilanen explains.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Controversial Chechen site to open on Finnish server again (3.5.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat