Spain arrests six in net pervert crackdown

Door closed on 62 child abuse forums

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 30th January 2006 11:41 GMT

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Six people have been arrested in Spain in a crackdown targeting the exchange of images of child abuse that has also led to the closure of 62 so-called "internet communities".

The operation follows a year-long investigation that focused on 2,870 net users in 40 countries (including Spain) who were suspected of exchanging perverted photos and movie clips of under-age children and babies through various online forums, Reuters reports.

"In these 62 dismantled communities, users exchanged and distributed pictures and videos of rapes and sexual aggression against very small children, even babies," according to a statement by Spain's Interior Ministry. Spanish police have passed the IP address of overseas suspects to investigators in other countries included Mexico, Brazil, the US, Germany, Italy, the UK, South Africa, Australia and Japan. The Spanish Interior Ministry worked with Microsoft in shutting down online forums that figured in its investigation.

The six Spanish suspects, who are yet to be named, each face child pornography offences punishable by up to eight years imprisonment if convicted. ®

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