On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:55:58 +0000 (UTC), Frogbutt
<frog@pamboisinsane.org> wrote:
>Check this out.
>
>http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/how-police-broke-net-pedophile-
>ring/2008/03/22/1205602728709.html
>
>
>Frank Walker
>March 23, 2008
>McCormack, centre, and Ben Wilkinson, right.
>
>McCormack, centre, and Ben Wilkinson, right.
>Photo: AFP
>Advertisement
>
>AUSTRALIAN police have played a leading role in smashing an international
>pedophile internet network.
>
>More than 22 pedophiles who thought their super encryption code was
>unbreakable have been arrested in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.
>
>Police around the world are using a new high-tech program - Child
>Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) - that links millions of files on
>child abusers. It was developed on the orders of billionaire Microsoft
>chairman Bill Gates and given to Australian police this month.
>
>Australian Federal Police High Tech Crime Centre director James McCormack
>said police were getting on top of the internet criminals.
>
>"It is a war being fought on many fronts. They do have very sophisticated
>means to hide their crimes but we are also using more and more
>sophisticated techniques and we are now having great success in this
>area," he said.
>
>"I am very confident we are going from strength to strength in beating
>these people in the high-tech war."
>
>In recent weeks:
>
>? NSW police made their first arrest using a new law that makes it a
>crime to "groom" children for sex over the internet.
>
>? NSW and Queensland police swooped on 24 people after a tip-off from the
>FBI they had been paying for access to internet child porn.
>
>? Queensland police were key in breaking an international cabal of
>pedophiles known as "The Group", who were so secretive they were regarded
>as untouchable in the murky world of internet crime.
>
>The breakthrough came after a tip from New Zealand police, who spotted
>heavily encrypted images being flashed to Australia. Queensland police
>then set up Operation Achilles. (See graphic).
>
>With Australian police now adding CETS to their high-tech arsenal they
>will be more able to track peoples who click on to child-sex sites.
>
>"The internet is no longer an anonymous place. The trade in these images
>is estimated to be up to $20billion. We are finding more and more of it
>but that may be because we are getting better at tracking it," Mr
>McCormack said.
>
>AFP agent Melissa Northam is one of those trackers. "We have seen all
>facets of abuse, stuff we didn't even realise was possible. It is
>extremely traumatising in what we see but we know these children are
>relying on us to rescue them and we are their only hope.
>
>"We get a lot of psychological help and it is tough. But seeing those
>images makes us more determined to catch these people and free the
>children from their abusers."
>
>fwalker@sunherald.com.au
>Operation Achilles
>
>1 New Zealand police discover secret internet trade in heavily encrypted
>child pornography.
>
>2 New Zealand investigators find a link to Australia.
>
>3 Queensland detectives penetrate pedophile network "The Group".
>
>4 They intercept European-made child-porn videos and notify Interpol,
>France.
>
>5 Interpol sets up operation with police in Germany, Austria, the
>Netherlands, and Belgium.
>
>6 Australian police identify two abused girls, later rescued. Belgian
>police arrest their father.
>
>7 Police arrest an Italian filmmaker, who shot films to order.
>
>8 Police trace 2500 customers in 19 countries. Nine people in Australia
>arrested; 48 targeted.
>
>9 US joins forces with Australian undercover officer who penetrated The
>Group.
>
>10 Arrest of 22 core members in the US, Canada, Germany and Britain.
>Arrest of 100 people who paid for images.
>
>11 Two people arrested in Australia - in Queensland and Victoria.
Smart?
Compared to you ... no trouble.
"That which is not just is not law"
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