Combating terrorism in Estonia
Radicalism and extremism are not only a problem for the security agencies. In Estonia, the law enforcement and security agencies respond when extremist movements are already in action. Preventing terrorism is primarily carried out through social work, education and the integration policy.
- The Government’s Security Committee is engaged in analysing and assessing the security situation and coordinating the activities of security agencies. The Security Committee includes the Prime Minister, the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communication, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The activities of the Security Committee are coordinated by the Security and National Defence Coordination Office of the Government Office.
- The work of individual institutions and the coordination in the fight against terrorism is organised by the Counter-Terrorism Council of the Security Committee of the Government of the Republic. The Council updates Estonia’s Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, monitors its implementation and makes proposals to increase its efficiency.
- The Counter-Terrorism Council includes representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, the Government Office, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Internal Security Service, the Defence Forces, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Tax and Customs Board and the Police and Border Guard Board.
- All the ministries and institutions have their own established roles, activities and objectives according to their area of activity. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for legislation and legislative drafting. The Ministry of the Interior plays an important role in planning counter-terrorism activities, as the main counter-terrorism institutions are within its area of government. The Ministry of the Interior also leads the preparation of the Internal Security Action Plan, which includes combating terrorism.
- Various preventive roles are performed by other ministries. For instance, free of charge language studies for immigrants, adaptation programmes, the integration programme, anti-bullying programmes, individual support services, counselling for people of other nationalities, the risk assessment of detainees, training various officials, travel warnings, organisation of conduct in the event of attacks, and many others.
Combating terrorism is done in cooperation with EU organisations:
- European Union
- Council of Europe
- Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
- United Nations
- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- EU Counterterrorism Coordinator
- European Counter Terrorism Centre
- European Strategic Communications Network
- European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
- International Criminal Police Organisation
- Radicalisation Awareness Network
Definition of terrorism
Neither the European Union nor the UN has specifically defined or agreed on terrorism for various theoretical and legal reasons, which is why the Member States define it separately in their legal acts.
Subsection 1 of § 237 of the Estonian Penal Code defines terrorism as:
“The commission of a criminal offence against international security, against the person or the environment while posing a threat to life or health, against foreign states or international organisations, or of a criminal offence dangerous to the public, or the manufacture, distribution or use of prohibited weapons, illegal seizure, damage or destruction of property to a significant extent, or interference with computer data or hindrance of the functioning of computer systems as well as threatening with the commission of such acts, if committed with the purpose of forcing the state or an international organisation to perform an act or omission, or seriously interfering with or destroying the political, constitutional, economic or social structure of the state, or seriously interfering with or destroying the operation of an international organisation, or seriously terrorising the population, is punishable by five to twenty years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment.”
In addition, Estonia also has the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act, the aim of which is to prevent the use of Estonia’s economic system and economic space for terrorist financing and money laundering. Aspects related to financing are also described in the aforementioned Penal Code.
Activities of the Internal Security Service in preventing terrorism
The Internal Security Service is the responsible body in combating terrorism in Estonia. The Internal Security Service gathers and processes information for the prevention of financing and supporting terrorism, and is responsible for investigating crimes related to terrorism. The Internal Security Service also acts as a foreign liaison agency and exchanges information with other similar institutions abroad.
A summary of the situation concerning trends, incidents and developments in Estonia can be found in the yearbooks of the Internal Security Service. In 2017, the Internal Security Service wrote:
“Against the backdrop of worrying developments, the threat of terrorism continues to be small in Estonia in 2017, although the spread of propaganda that facilitates radicalisation on the internet and the overall globalisation have brought the threat of terrorism noticeably closer to Estonia in the past 10 to 15 years.”
In order to identify radicalised individuals, the Internal Security Service together with representatives of other Estonian state institutions also interview refugees and decides on whether to issue residence permits on the basis of thorough background checks.
Although the Internal Security Service still rates the threat of terrorism as small in Estonia, we must take into account what is happening in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Various conflicts, the possible spread of extremism, and increased migration may have a direct impact on Estonia’s security. As a result of this, Estonian citizens may become victims of terrorist attacks in other European countries.
With regard to terrorism, we must take into account the organisation of large-scale events in Estonia (including the presidency of the European Union), which may make Estonia a more attractive target for terrorists. This requires agencies to contribute considerably more to the prevention of threats and attacks.
What to do in the event of a terrorist attack?
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Flee
In the event of an outdoor armed attack, the safest thing to do is to flee at once. Try to break away from a fleeing crowd in order to disappear from the attacker’s range of sight as quickly as possible. Try to move covertly away, to a place that offers protection. Use side streets for fleeing.
If you are indoors, use the stairs, an emergency exit or the ground-floor windows to exit the building. If fleeing puts you in greater danger, take cover behind the first object that offers protection.
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Take cover
If you find a hiding place in a room, lock the door and secure the entrances with furnishings available in the room. Turn off all the lights in the room and stay away from the windows. When you reach a hiding place, put your mobile phone on silent and turn off the vibration function.
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Report
When you are away from immediate danger, call the emergency number and report what has happened and where you are. When you see police officers, do not rush towards them, hold your hands up and palms visible.
What should you keep in mind when the immediate threat has passed?
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Comply with the orders and threat assessment of the local authorities. Keep an eye on the media and other sources of information that cover the event.
- Avoid using public transport (buses, trains, trams, the underground, ferries) as well as crowded places and mass events.
- If the attack took place in a foreign country, report your situation to the 24h hotline of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (+372 5301 9999) or by e-mail to [email protected].
Check travel warnings at www.vm.ee.
Contacts in the case of a terrorist attack
- In Estonia:
Contact number of the Internal Security Service: 12455 - Abroad:
24h hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: +372 5301 999
E-mail address of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: [email protected]
Related links
Last updated: 17.04.2023
