Biker Putin on Finland's secret blacklist
Russian President is 'wanted criminal' according to Finnish register
VLADIMIR Putin was placed on a list of wanted criminals in Finland for his ties to a motorcycle club, the Night Wolves.
Others with their name on the same list would be detained at the Finnish border as a wanted criminal, tried and possibly sent to jail.
When news of Putin's listing spread, it caused a shock reaction from the Finnish Interior Minister, Paivi Rasanen who said: "Sincere apologies for the incorrect registry entry. The Interior Ministry considers it of grave concern if a member of the police has made such groundless entries into the database of suspects"
Finland's intelligence may have come from an episode in 2009 when Putin visited a biker's club called the Night Wolves. The club's leader, known as 'the Surgeon' gave Putin a tour of the club. Putin then joined club members and other bikers at a 5,000-strong rideout where he rode a Harley-Davidson trike.
Was this an honest administration mistake, or is Putin genuinely suspected by Finland of having connections of organised crime?
