Officials in Finland say two people arrested on suspicion of financing terrorism and recruiting people for terrorist activities were not planning attacks on the Nordic country.

A police detective, Kaj-Erik Bjorkvist, says the suspects' alleged actions were related to a country “far away” from Finland. Officials are cautioning that the Finnish people should not be concerned.

Finnish media say the two suspects, a man and a woman, have Somali backgrounds.

Police in Finland arrested the two suspects on September 7, after they were under surveillance by Finland's Security Intelligence Service.

Officials said following the arrests, police searched homes in the Helsinki area and seized evidence.

The arrests are believed to be the first-ever terrorism-related detentions in Finland.