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Finland not to extradite detained Iraqis: justice minister

Xinhua, December 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

Finnish Justice Minister Jari Lindstrom said on Tuesday that Finland will not extradite the two Iraqis detained on suspicion of terrorism-related murders committed in Iraq, as they may face death penalty there.

Lindstrom made the comment after the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat reported earlier on Tuesday that Iraqi authorities are set to request the alleged to be extradited.

The minister explained to Finnish new agency STT that death penalty is valid in Iraq and Finnish legislation prohibits repatriating criminals to a country where they will face death penalty.

The two 23-year-old men were accused of killing 11 prisoners in Iraq in June 2014 as members of the Islamic State. They were detained by Finnish police in Forssa, southern Finland, and remained in custody in Tampere.

According to information obtained by Helsingin Sanomat, the arrested men were wanted by Iraqi police before they escaped and finally arrived in Finland as asylum seekers. Endit