Police said they are seeking two men suspected of attempted manslaughter over an attack on Finns Party parliamentary aide Pekka Kataja at his home in Jämsä, central Finland on Friday morning.
Police initially began investigating the incident as a robbery. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them by phone at 050-4560471 or via email at [email protected]
Kataja is the nationalist party’s central Finland campaign chief and parliamentary aide to MP Jouni Kotiaho. He is also a long-time party activist.
Kataja sent a photo of his injuries to the Keskisuomalainen regional paper and said that he had suffered a cracked skull, cerebral haemmorhaging and three broken ribs as a result of the attack. His injuries were reportedly treated at Tampere university hospital.
Finns Party chair Jussi Halla-aho and party secretary Simo Grönroos sharply condemned the attack and speculated in a joint statement that it was politically motivated.
"We are looking forward to the crime being solved and we with our friend and party colleague Pekka Kataja a speedy recovery," they said in the statement.
