Last Wednesday, police in several countries arrested over 184 (670 suspects have been identified) alleged members of an online pedophile ring. They were able to rescue 230 children from an operation that has been ongoing for three years.
The case involves an online network with over 70,000 members worldwide, and with server based in Netherlands. According to Europol, suspects were members of an online forum called boylover.net, which promoted sex between adults and young boys.
"The website attempted to operate as a discussion-only forum where people could share their sexual interest in young boys without committing any specific offenses and operate below the radar," Peter Davies of Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre told the press conference. "Many members, however, having made contact on the site, moved on to more private channels such as e-mail to exchange and share illegal images and films of children being abused."
Interpol director Wainwright said that investigators had a breakthrough when Europol experts cracked the Dutch-based server's sophisticated security features in 2010 to uncover "this huge network." Europol thereafter issued more than 4,200 intelligence reports to more than 30 countries, enabling them to track down offenders and their victims.
This case gives us a glimpse of the complex nature of cybercrimes, and how it raises so many questions. Is the Interpol allowed by law to "crack" the said website's database? Will that list be admissible in evidence? Will the creators of the website be prosecuted and if so, on what charge? Where will the suspects from all over the world be tried? What rules will govern? There are so many questions but right now all I know is this is good news, and kudos to Interpol for the successful operation!
Ma. Anna Katrina C. Eustaquio, Entry # 17
For full story see:
http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view/20110317-325915/Police-smash-biggest-online-pedophile-ring
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