Swiss Break Up Internet Child Porn Ring

(AP)  Police have broken up an Internet child pornography ring operating in at least four European countries where men exchanged details about their contacts with young girls, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The investigation found an online pedophile forum involving hundreds of men, mainly in Germany. In all, investigators have identified 600 people in Germany, 40 in Austria, 13 in Switzerland and four in Liechtenstein using the forum, Swiss prosecutors said.

Prosecutors in the eastern Swiss town of St. Gallen say four men have been arrested in Switzerland on suspicion of producing child pornography or sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl. St. Gallen investigating magistrate Ursula Brasey said the men accused of abusing the girl have confessed.

The four were among 13 men, aged 20 to 65, who have been investigated in Switzerland. Police have searched homes and confiscated computer hard drives, officials said.

One person has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of sexually abusing a child, officials said.

Authorities in Austria are investigating 15 suspects with ties to 35 Internet addresses there, Austria's federal Criminal Investigations Bureau said.

Brasey said the St. Gallen Internet service provider who hosted the site has been very cooperative and was not among the suspects.

"The investigation has been under way for several months," said Brasey, who added the examination of confiscated materials has been complicated and time-consuming.

Swiss police have relayed data about foreign users of the Internet platform to investigators in other countries, especially Germany.

[lovesamerica]

Sick and sad

[jlagat]

This is a news story. Not for busting a child porn ring, but the Swiss actually took a stand against something wrong and actually sending people with guns to do something about it.

[deacon20081]

Just watch there will be ties to the US as well.

I advocate the return of Frontier Justice....have a rope and a tall tree?

[hawksprings]

This is good news.
I hope they can demolish the child porn industry and rescue any children.
And maybe take the perpetrators and leave them at the summit of one of the Alps in thier underwear.

[lynxha]

I don''t see what the purpose of grown men is assaulting children sexually or mentally is. I think that the perpetrators of these crimes shoud not be locked up for life. They should be executed