USA: COMPUTER NETWORK CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: SUSPECTS ARRESTED

English/Nat A dozen suspects accused of using a nationwide computer network to distribute child pornography in the US are being held by the F-B-I. The suspects, arrested after a two-year probe, are also being accused of using the network to arrange sex with children. The F-B-I say their investigation is on-going and more arrests are expected. Operation 'Innocent Images' is meeting with success. It's been revealed Thursday that specially-trained Justice department officials have been working with F-B-I agents to capture alleged high-tech paedophiles - adults using computers to peddle child porn. SOUNDBITE: I'm very encouraged by the work that they're undertaking, to work with the FBI and to able to pursue, whether it be consumer fraud, child pornography, or other misuse of the information infrastructure SUPER CAPTION: Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General. F-B-I officials say agents continue to arrest suspects today as part of the two-year undercover operation dubbed "Innocent Images." Agents say they found evidence of kids two to thirteen years old pictured nude on the nation's largest on-line computer service - "America Online." Reno says the F-B-I's goal is to prevent misuse of emerging computer technology - and the growing demand for on-line computer services - for illegal activity. SOUNDBITE: I think one of the things we're trying to do in working with all concerned is to let people know that by our vigorous action people will be held accountable for violating the law SUPER CAPTION: Janet Reno, US Attorney General Suspects can be fined ten thousand dollars and get up to ten years in prison for child porn convictions - but, as yet, there are no specific laws against sending the images via computer. On-line services say they're trying to police their networks, chat lines and user groups for such activity. Computer consultants and others who rely on the technology are concerned that the F-B-I and the industry may go too far. SOUNDBITE: And do you know that if you have your own phone system you have to provide a tap? When you by a phone system you have a tap on the side that the FBI can come and get anytime they feel like it. There was a modified version of that that almost passed which said "any network." Which means this little network here with three computers on it, I'd have to a connector in for the FBI to tap. That seems a little excessive to me. I understand that they need to gather information in order to protect our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness sort of thin. But there's limits to that SUPER CAPTION: Mark Menasi, Computer Security Consultant Menasi holds the opinions of many computer-philes who are against abuses like child porn but say there is a need for more self-policing. SOUNDBITE: You know, some sort of thing where the service provider says to the user that they are of an age to view these materials and that they will take responsibility for restricting access to this from other individuals in the home SUPER CAPTION: Mark Menasi, Computer Security Consultant The U-S congress is working on a new law that would make on-line child porn illegal - but has yet to deal with adult porn - another hot item on computer nets. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/031fb7857b12cad3f5f6104aa837bdbf Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork