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Low risk of terrorism in Finland

Finland lives up to its reputation as a safe haven, as an international assessment on the risk of political violence and terrorism finds the country among the safest territories in the world.

Yhdysvaltain suurlähetystön aitaa ja valvontakameroita Helsingissä.
Image: Yle

Here the risk of political violence and terrorism is negligible, according to the annual assessment of the London-based international insurance company Aon Risk Solutions. Aon’s assessment covers all 200 countries in the world.

The company classified countries under six ratings, ranging from ‘severe risk’ to ‘no risk’. Three risk types were also defined: 1) terrorism and sabotage, 2) riots and strikes, and 3) revolution and civil war.

Only 10 countries made it to the negligible risk category. In addition to Finland and the Pacific island states, these included Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Botswana and Uruguay.

Countries with a severe risk factor were found in the Middle East and in Central and Northern Africa.

Some 19 countries were classified as more dangerous as compared with last year’s risk assessment. These included Germany, Italy and Britain. Reasons given for increased risk centred on economic hardship and spending cuts.

In Jordan and 10 other countries, the level of risk has fallen.

Sweden, Norway and the United States fell into ‘low risk’ countries, which is one rating riskier than Finland.