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SPECIAL TO IOMFATS
By Brody Levesque
March 16th, 2011
The Hague - The Netherlands.
With the leading support of Europol, police have arrested 184 suspected child sex offenders and identified over 200 victims of child abuse following one of the biggest investigations of its kind by law enforcement agencies across the world.
With investigations still continuing, 670 suspects have been identified across the world already, 184 arrests made and 230 children safeguarded. The number of victims safeguarded is the highest ever achieved from this type of investigation, and is set to rise even further in the coming weeks.
These spectacular operational results were the work of effective police cooperation across many countries. Instrumental to the success was the unique role played by Europol in identifying the members of the child sex abuse network and facilitating operational action by police authorities in multiple jurisdictions. In particular it was the work of Europol analysts in cracking the security features of a key computer server at the centre of the network which uncovered the identity and activity of the suspected child sex offenders. Europol subsequently issued over 4000 intelligence reports to police authorities in over 30 countries in Europe and elsewhere, which has led to the arrests of suspects and the safeguarding of children. These reports also identified links between this network and those featured in multiple other investigations.
"I am proud of the exceptional work of our experts in helping police authorities around the world to record these groundbreaking results. The safeguarding of so many vulnerable children is particularly rewarding and demonstrates the commitment of our agency to make Europe a safer place for its citizens. I also pay tribute to the relevant authorities in Europe and elsewhere for their operational work in tracking down the suspected criminals and their victims," says Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol.
Known as Operation Rescue, this complex case has run for three years, with Europol supporting and coordinating investigations for the last 1.5 years. Law enforcement authorities have been brought together from 13 countries to track offenders on a truly global scale. Countries involved: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Some other countries, although not listed, still have investigations ongoing in which suspects have been identified.
The suspected child sex offenders were members of an online forum – boylover.net – that promoted sexual relationships between adults and young boys. The website operated from a server based in the Netherlands and, at its height, boasted up to 70 000 members worldwide.
The website has now been taken down. It attempted to operate as a ‘discussion–only’ forum where people could share their sexual interest in young boys without committing any specific offences, thus operating ‘below the radar’ of police attention. Having made contact on the site, some members would move to more private channels, such as email, to exchange and share illegal images and films of children being abused. Computers seized from those arrested have harvested huge quantities of child abuse images and videos.
At the start of the investigation, UK and Australian covert police internet teams infiltrated the boylover.net site to quickly identify those members who were assessed as posing the highest risk to children. They also tracked the migration of offenders to other sites where further investigations and risk assessments continued.
In 2009, the UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre located the owner of the website and traced the server to Holland, involving the Zaanstreek–Waterland Police in the Netherlands and also bringing Europol into the investigation.
Between June 2008 and June 2009, Canadian, Italian, New Zealand and US law enforcement authorities all joined the investigation, as the scale of the international network became clear and suspects were identified in their jurisdictions.
In January 2010, a copy of the seized site's server was received by Europol, and the Australian and UK police. Working with Zaanstreek–Waterland Police in the Netherlands, Europol rebuilt the forum offline and forensically interrogated the server to produce intelligence analysis which was disseminated globally to law enforcement authorities. So far, Europol has distributed 4202 operational intelligence reports to 25 EU Member States and 8 other countries.
Having identified at least 670 suspected offenders, international law enforcement authorities continue to work with forces which are actively pursuing the intelligence arising from Operation Rescue. This has led to the arrest of a number of individuals suspected of serious offences against children, who are now awaiting trial.
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[Updated on: Thu, 17 March 2011 01:52] |
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13751
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I find that pleasing.
While we have often discussed and will discuss the undiscussable here we have been steadfast in condemnation of those who abuse children.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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saben
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On fire! |
Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537
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I don't trust the spin on this. I saw the BL.net once before and it seemed to be a legal support community.
Of the 200 children that were "saved" what were they saved from. The media makes it sound like they were chained to dungeons in basements, but I'm inclined to think it could include scouts whose scoutmaster expressed sexual attraction to the scouts he worked with (even if he didn't act on it).
Only what 184 people were arrested... And most of those would have been on having images of pre-18s.
How many violent criminals have actually been caught by this? A three year investigation spanning 70,000 members.... and only 184 members were arrested.
If you gave me 3 years to investigate ANY population of 70,000 and I'm sure I could find more than 184 offenders and more than 200 children that were being abused in various ways... Hell, this website has had members end up being arrested... that means despite the objectives of timmy this website could be branded a "pedophile ring of 3000".
Media hype continues to push the pedo-witch-hunt "they're hiding under your beds, so put your kids in a bubble and NEVER let them come to harm". It doesn't matter that the BL.net website was a support site, nor does it matter that a lot of people guilty of little more than possessing pictures will be receiving length jail time. Any casualty is acceptable to "protect the childrens".
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
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Shem you are more than welcome to dispute whatever your little troll heart desires, but be very cautious of critiquing me for an alleged "spin." I reported precisely what the various agencies released to those of us in the press corps.
While you may be rankled at what you perceive as a "witchhunt," the fact is that this so-called "support" board/forum was a den of snakes that needed cleansing.
Pictures of youths being sexually depicted or abused is wrong and in my not so humble opinion-sick.
I do not contribute to the "hype" either Shem. I normally DO NOT cover these types of investigations unless there is a political factor. Having said that, it is important to me as Tim's friend, that when I see this type of story, I do some background on it, due diligence as it were, and then I publish it here so that folks can see that the authorities working in concert globally are protecting children from being sexually exploited.
Possessing pictures of children being exploited is JUST as WRONG as criminal sexual abuse. It represents an ongoing abuse that lasts far longer than the actual physical abuse. The old adage once on the net forever in amber is the truth.
I've had senior British Metropolitan Police, RCMP, as well as American law enforcement personnel all acknowledge that its virtually impossible to effect elimination of this disgusting pornography once its viral.
Shem, you're a bloody wanker if you cannot see that the victimisation continues into the adulthood of these minors. Did you ever stop to consider the long term effects psychologically?
Your so-called "legal" support forum was a bloody ruse Shem. It was just as much a public nuisance as a pub where drugs and murders happen to the point where a local council finally pulls the pub licence and shuts it down. It's the same damn thing.
I, ME, as an adult Gay man as well as a parent am pleased that these raids were carried out for two reasons in particular. First, these bastards who were arrested are exploiting children. Second, they are the ammo that is ALWAYS used by the Christian Reich-Wingnuts against the LGBTQ community.
My personal belief is that sexual relations- intergenerational- below the age of 20 or so is suspect bordering on exploitation. Studies have now proven. for example, that humans enter into puberty and adolescence between 12 and 13 years of age and that it runs until about age 24.
That means that they aren't fully realised adults and are in many cases, MATURE enough intellectually or emotionally in the initial years of adolescence up to about age 16 or 17 to handle ALL of the aspects of their evolving sexuality.
This means Shem, that adults have ZERO business being physically intimate with them. These same studies have shown that by the early 20's there are marked differences in their development that leave them better equipped to handle those relations.
NOW, note that I said nothing about an age difference of less than six or so years as that falls in a different category. But before you go get silly with the "aha! What about a 22 year old shagging a 17 or even a 16 year old."
Every case is obviously different Shem, and I still, PERSONALLY, would NOT agree with that. Having said that, my mindset is that some one in their 30's up, particularly after say 50 shagging a teen- wrong, shouldn't be done.
Oh and ANY sex with ANYONE under 16 is a bloody crime in my eyes. It's wrong on numerous levels. Children need to nurtured and this means that outside of support discussions that educate or assist them in understanding their growing bodies and feelings in an appropriate manner-sex is simply abuse.
One last thing, I think that Tim himself would acknowledge that there are paedophiles as well as pederasts present here. But I do NOT see him encouraging criminal behaviour and making a mockery out of the law by referring to such behaviours in a supportive fashion. I wouldn't be here if he did so.
Before you critique Shem, you need to consider ALL of the facts and then the implications and IMPACT.
[Updated on: Thu, 17 March 2011 13:49] |
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13751
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These are pointless semantics. The law is precise.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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saben
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On fire! |
Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537
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Considering that article is exactly the same one that I read in numerous mainstream media outlets I know that it's not an original piece you wrote. I never said it was.
I was challenging the original piece and the way that it was reported. I never directed anything towards you, Brody. Despite our earlier disagreement I know on this issue at least you're not interested in sensationalising. I think your opinions are a well considered on this issue- even if we disagree slightly on the extent.
For example I disagree that an adult having a movie file that a teenager uploaded of themselves on webcam poses any great harm to that teen. It's a FAR different story to an adult that molests a pre-teen child violently. Yet in the reporting ANY breach of age of consent is as bad as another.
In the original piece imagine the difference semantics would make... If it said for example "of the original 70,000 members of BL.net only 200 were engaging in illegal activity." Why the need for hysteria and hype? By and large children are safe! By and large the most dangerous place for kids is with trusted family and friends!
Thanks for automatically jumping to the defensive, though, Brody.  I appreciate that you're level-headed on this topic and I'm not the kind of person to intentionally let a disagreement on one topic spread to other topics ::-)
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
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On any given day Shem, I receive well over 200 plus press releases that my staff & I wade through, sorting into a category system based on priority, subject/topic, and of course newsworthiness.
I get them from non-profits, lobbyists, action groups of every stripe, government agencies, [Which was the case here with this one for example.] along with folks that run companies hoping that some action/invention/announcement or general tooting of their own horn is newsworthy.
Once that's sorted out- it's on to taking action & follow-up.
Now as you've noted, I did not write this nor did I claim so, I merely published the original EUROPOL press release intact. Having said that, I did fact check it before I decided to put it here.
Tim noted that there's the argument based on semantics which I can agree with. The Hype as you've pointed out I think has become an institutionalised aspect of reporting on sexual offences against children by governmental bodies and those in my profession who seem to be more interested in "selling papers" versus adhering to the facts.
Part of the Hype that angers you was best explained to me by an RCMP investigator who told me that sometimes that assists them in finding and assisting more victims that they otherwise would not be able to.
I can't say that I can agree wholeheartedly with that philosophy as it smacks of a fishing expedition which is always problematic at best.
Other than that, I'm good with our discussion on this topic.
Brody
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Europol Announces 200 Children Rescued From Child Porn Ring 
Re: Europol Announces 200 Children Rescued From Child Porn Ring 