He is due to be sentenced on May 5, just two days before the election.
During the trial, one of the men targeted by Linden told the court he had asked for help from within the party but felt his concerns were not taken seriously.
“Everywhere I went for help in the SNP I was ignored or it was downplayed,” he said.
He added that he only went to the police in 2023 because he “did not feel confident” the party would deal with the complaints appropriately.
Speaking to STV News, one anonymous victim said Linden’s actions “could have been stopped earlier”, adding that victims “weren’t believed, we were called liars, we were pushed out of politics”.
They said: “He was enabled, and I hope in time we find out why.”
An SNP spokesperson said: “We have undertaken a comprehensive review of our complaints procedures since 2016, but in light of this case the party leader, John Swinney, has today instructed that an independent review of these procedures be conducted.
“This will ensure people are protected and our complaints procedures are as robust as they can be.
“More generally, the SNP welcomes the verdict against Mr Linden and commends the bravery of the individuals who came forward and shared their experiences with the police.”
In the trial, SNP candidate Councillor Tracy Carragher and Councillor Fiona Fotheringham both appeared as witnesses.
There was some suggestion that they had acted for the defence.
Cllr Carragher told the court she knew Linden in a “group setting” and through political events after they were both elected as councillors in 2017.
She also claimed one of the victims had “never” made a complaint to her about Linden’s alleged behaviour.
When this was put to Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, during a campaign stop in Glasgow on Friday morning, he said his colleagues needed to “reflect” on their position.
Jordan Linden was convicted of 10 charges on Thursday (Image: North Lanarkshire Council)
An SNP spokesperson clarified that Cllr Carragher had not been defending Mr Linden, but had been required to give evidence in court.
“Having not been aware of the detail of the trial, a question was put to Stephen Flynn which appeared to suggest Cllr Carragher had sought to defend Mr Linden,” they said.
“In fact, Cllr Carragher was called as a witness in a criminal court case and was required to attend and give her evidence to the best of her knowledge.”
In a statement issued after the verdict, Cllr Carragher said: “I welcome the decision reached by the jury. It should send a message that even when victims do not go to the police straight away, justice can still be done.
“My thoughts are with the victims in this case, and I truly hope that this verdict will bring them some closure.”
She added: “I was called as a witness in Mr Linden’s trial, and so I gave an honest account of my involvement and my knowledge of events. I did not at any point defend Mr Linden.”
Cllr Carragher also said that while no concerns had been raised with her directly, she understood why individuals might not come forward.
“Had any councillor asked me to step in to protect them from another member of the SNP Group, I would have done so. I am clear that they did not, but I fully understand why someone might not wish to divulge such personal information to me,” she said.
“I have not spoken to Jordan Linden since his arrest.”
In a statement released on Friday, Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr, the senior investigating officer, said: “This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust.
“He abused this position to befriend young males who were seeking his support and the opportunity to learn from his work, however his conduct toward them was far from professional.
“I’d like to thank the victims who came forward to report their experiences to police. Their testimony and support ensured that we were able to bring Linden before the courts.
“No-one should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the case raised “serious questions” for the SNP leadership.
“During the trial, one of the men targeted by Mr Linden said that when he went for help from the party, he was ‘ignored or it was downplayed’,” she said.
“Mr Swinney must come clean and explain why that was allowed to happen, and he must also set out what the SNP has done to root out this behaviour within his party.”
The SNP accused her of hypocrisy. A spokesperson said: “Given that a member of Labour’s 2021 intake is currently suspended amid a police investigation into sexual offences, alongside the party’s shameful indifference to Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein and Pam Duncan-Glancy’s friendship with twice-convicted paedophile Sean Morton, Jackie Baillie’s display of hypocrisy is utterly disgraceful.”
