Seven people arrested last week by Dutch law enforcement officials for offering links to allegedly copyright-infringing content have been released. The group shared thousands of movies, games and music files through eDonkey and BitTorrent files.

Dutch lobby organisation BREIN (http://www.anti-piracy.nl) remains likely to start criminal procedures against the site owners. BREIN believes that warez group DVD Europe Team, which shares illegal copies of movies as soon as they are released in cinemas, is part of the group that hosted the files.

Christiaan Alberdingk Thijm, the Dutch lawyer who successfully defended Kazaa against Dutch collecting rights organisation Buma/Stemra, says BREIN does not have a case as linking to files isn't illegal in the Netherlands.

The Dutch raids were part of an action by the Motion Picture Ass. of America (MPAA) against server operators in Europe. MPAA and local rights-holder organisations are also sending "cease and desist" letters to ISPs worldwide that host eDonkey, BitTorrent and DirectConnect servers. ®

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