| The head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Alyson Bailes, says that al-Qaeda also poses a threat to Finland. Bailes says that although al-Qaeda primarily targets countries that supported the US-led war on Iraq, terrorists view all Western countries as part of the same Western secular and capitalist system. Bailes said she would consider it foolhardy to believe that only coalition members are under threat of terrorist attack. Bailes, who was formerly the British ambassador to Finland, warned Finns and Swedes that terrorists may consider the two countries less-prepared to counter attacks - and therefore attractive targets. Terrorists may also consider Finland or Sweden suitable transit countries or bases. Bailes stressed the responsibilty of all countries for common security; each nation must not only prevent terrorist attacks on its own territory but also on foreign ground. |