Over 500 Aussies in child porn inquiry
SYDNEY: More than 500 Australians could be involved in the country's biggest case involving child pornography on the Internet, Australia's top police official said yesterday after nationwide raids.
More than 200 people, including police officers, teachers and a childcare centre owner have been charged with more than 2,000 pornography offences, which include sexual abuse, downloading and distributing pornographic images, and child sex tourism.
“This operation has provided us information in the order of in excess of 500 Australians accessing the material,” said Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty.
A tip-off to US Customs about child pornography on the Internet produced 95,000 leads worldwide at the start of this year, Keelty said.
Prime Minister John Howard expressed shock at the extent of child Internet pornography in Australia.
“The thing that perhaps shocks me most of all is the way in which it has spread across different sections of the community,” he told reporters.
Australian police have yet to examine 400 computers and other material seized in 400 raids in the past week.
“It's almost certain that there will be further arrests,” Keelty told Australian radio. More raids are expected.
A male school teacher and church pastor appeared in a Sydney court yesterday, facing 22 child pornography charges that include setting up a video camera behind a mirror in a school changing room to film young girls undressing.
“The videotapes that were taken possession of were viewed and they showed females, who appeared to be under the age of 16, to be changing between items of clothing,” said local court magistrate Lee Gilmore.
The 33-year-old teacher, who cannot be identified, told police he had child pornography and had filmed his girl students. He was refused bail and will appear in court again on Tuesday. – Reuters
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