Three neo-Nazis guilty in Finland

HELSINKI — Three Finnish men who embraced neo-Nazi ideology were found guilty Tuesday of committing crimes with terrorist intent, including plotting attacks against migrants, critical infrastructure, and their perceived political opponents.

The Paijat-Hame District Court sentenced the main suspect, Viljam Lauri Antero Nyman, to three years and four months in prison on charges of aggravated firearms offenses committed with terrorist intent as well as training to commit a terrorist act.

His two accomplices received a sentence of one year and nine months in prison and a suspended prison sentence of seven months, respectively. They were charged with terrorism-related crimes of manufacture of firearms and training to use them, among other things.

Public broadcaster YLE said the case marked the first terrorism conviction in Finland that is linked to far-right ideology.

The defendants believed that protecting the superiority of the white population justified the use of violence against perceived enemies, prosecutors said.