The Vaasa Court of Appeal has convicted a man born in 1979 of assisting in the attempted murder of Pekka Kataja, a Finns Party official in Central Finland.
Juha Kalevi Lindroos was given a six-year jail sentence. He had previously been acquitted on all charges by the Central Finland District Court, but Kataja and prosecutors appealed the verdict.
Kataja was attacked by two men at his home in Jämsänkoski in the summer of 2020. The men had a package they claimed was from the Finns Party headquarters.
He was struck around the head some 20 times, possibly with a hammer, and his skull was caved in.
Police never discovered who struck Kataja, and believe there may be others who took part in the attack.
During the original trial, prosecutors said that such a politically-motivated attack had not occurred in Finland since the 1930s. At that time, the far-right Lapua Movement committed several acts of political violence.
Evidence gathered
The appeals court found that there was no doubt about Lindroos's role in the attack. However, the evidence did not prove that he had been at the scene of the crime and had taken part in the violence.
The evidence that he assisted the attackers included his fingerprints on the package and the discovery in his home of tape matching the type used on said package. His car is also very similar to the car used by the attackers.
The court ruled that the violence used in the attack had shown a serious desire to murder the victim, as it was conducted in a particularly cruel manner.
Kataja was defenceless, as the two men had surprised him in his home. Rather than causing a quick death, they had wanted to cause him considerable pain before he died, according to the court, and that would have prompted significant fear for the victim.
The court ruled that the whole case was especially aggravated, as it has met the criteria of attempted murder and aggravated breach of domestic peace.
Kataja: Three still free
Speaking after the ruling, Pekka Kataja noted that three people involved in the attack remain free, and he hopes they will be apprehended.
"The verdict is good in itself and pretty tough in light of the offences charged, but it leaves open who has struck the blows, who gave the package and who planned it all," Kataja said.
"Of course I am satisfied and actually a little surprised, as this is basically the opposite verdict to that given in the district court. I'm very satisfied about that."
Kataja said he expects Lindroos to appeal the verdict to the supreme court.
Kataja flagged up the part of the verdict that noted there was likely a political motive for the attack. He had been involved in expelling several members of the Finns Party from the party over their extremist activities.
Despite that, he says he has not considered leaving politics.
"I have not thought about giving it up, on the contrary I am involved in the same way as before," Kataja said.