Two held in Finnish terror probe

Two people held in Finnish terror probe By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTS Two are held in Finland for alleged involvement in terrorist activitiesA two-year investigation led to the arrest of suspects Police will not release suspect's nationalities (CNN) -- Finnish authorities were holding a man and a woman on Saturday for alleged involvement in international terrorist activities.

In the nation's first case of international terrorism, police said two-year long investigations led to last week's arrest of two people are being questioned for alleged involvement in aiding international terrorism through recruitment and financing activities.

"We have been investigating possibilities of financing terrorism in Finland before but previously there wasn't any reason to start the actual preliminary investigation," Olli Kolstela, a security police official, said at a Saturday press conference.

"It took a long period of surveillance. We used many resources and means and it took a year," Kolstela said.

Finland's main public broadcaster YLE said Saturday that police searched several Helsinki homes where evidence was seized and more information would be available in ten days.

YLE reported that two prosecutors have already been named to handle the case.

"The maximum sentence for the possible charges is eight years imprisonment," YLE reported.

Finnish security officials told reporters there is no need to upgrade the country's terror alert status in light of the development.

Police would not release the suspects' nationalities.

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