Slovenian police searched a number of premises on Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspected corruption in the biggest arms deal in the country's history, involving Finnish state-owned weapons maker Patria, the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) reported on Wednesday.

The Finnish police said in a statement Thursday that the suspects whose homes and offices had been searched were Slovenian citizens.

The police added that Finnish investigators had participated in Wednesday's operation.
Finland's National Bureau of Investigation, the Slovenian police and prosecutor-general's office signed an agreement on a joint investigation squad last year.

The Slovenian defence ministry and Patria signed a 278-million-euro deal on 135 armoured personnel carriers in 2006.

The Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) quoted unnamed sources as saying in September last year that top-ranking Slovenian officials, including Janez Jansa, the then prime minister, had accepted bribes from Patria.

Mr Jansa, dismissing the YLE report as a fabrication concocted by his political opponents, had two diplomatic notes sent to Finland warning the Finnish government the report risked damaging bilateral relations.

Mr Jansa's government also launched legal proceedings against YLE reporters before losing power in a general election in late September.

Among the suspects questioned and held by the Finnish police is Jorma Wiitakorpi, a former managing director of Patria.

STT