Massive online pedophile ring busted by cops.

[L0oniX]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42108748/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/massive-online-pedophile-ring-busted-cops/

An Internet pedophile ring with up to 70,000 members — thought to be the world's largest —has been uncovered by police, a security official said Wednesday.

The European police agency Europol said in a statement that "Operation Rescue" had identified 670 suspects and that 230 abused children in 30 countries had been taken to safety. More children are expected to be found, Europol said.

It said that so far 184 people had been arrested and investigations in some countries were continuing. Most of those detained are suspected of direct involvement in sexually abusing children.

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Why are the majority of these scum bags american?

[L0oniX]

1. Amazing ...no one here gives a shit. I must be on the wrong website.

[Whisp]

3. there were a couple threads on this yesterday, lots of people give a shit.

but what I think is it's so horrific you just can't find much to say about it. At least thats how it is for me.

If I stumbled on too detailed descriptions I know I would just crumble into a pile of despair.

I jsut hope the people catching these vile creatures are strong enough to do the worst possible maximum punishment.

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. That would be me.

I'm lost for what to say.

[jberryhill]

13. Is there some "pro-pedophile" political faction?

What's to discuss? Good job by law enforcement.

[L0oniX]

14. Some of us wonder why it happens here in the USA more than other places.

No need for you to discuss that I guess.

[Modern_Matthew]

2. It's about time they do something productive, rather than rounding up teenaged hackers. nt

[Cirque du So-What]

4. 'Why are the majority of these scum bags american?'

Good question, but I'll defer to better social analysts than myself for an answer. Recidivism rates - even 20 years or longer after conviction - are to me discomfiting:

http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/rcd.html

Is it wrong of me to believe that the best course of action for anyone who has recurring thoughts of molesting a child would be to seek a bridge - preferably one at least 150 ft above the water - and jump in without hesitation? It would certainly be an improvement in the lives of any potential victims - not to mention a benefit to society as a whole. Flame away if you must, but I find it hard to work up even a scintilla of compassion for child molesters.

[L0oniX]

6. My wife suggested that it is because of porn in the USA. I disagreed with her.

[Cirque du So-What]

8. I'm disinclined to place the blame on porn

I wonder if it's partly due to the tendency in this country to encourage 'looking sexy' at ages I consider far too young. I don't know if I'm being trite in my citation of 'beauty contests' for children barely past the toddler stage, but those events (and the parents who sign on it) are really creepy in my estimation. It doesn't qualify as 'porn' in the strictest sense, but I imagine it serves as titillation for a certain segment of our society.

I'm sure we could come up with other examples of sexualization and objectification of children if we tried.

[L0oniX]

10. I told my wife about that too but that doesn't account for the young boys.

I assume that this pedo ring wasn't about just little girls.

[Cirque du So-What]

11. Good point

Now I'm at a loss.

On edit: perhaps it's a pervasive attitude in this country that borders on sociopathy - one that includes far more than a propensity to child molestation. Perhaps it's the same ethos that justifies corporations using cut-throat tactics to obtain goals and that tells people to fuck over anyone who gets in the way satisfying their desires. I've pondered how the US has evolved into Sociopath Nation before, and now it occurs to me that child molestation may be just another facet of this national sickness that places a much higher value on personal desires over the good of all in society. Perhaps 'individualism' isn't all it's cracked up to be?

[L0oniX]

12. Whatever it is it happens here in the USA more than any other places.

It is interesting (I think I read stats on this) that there are more sex crimes in the bible belt than other areas.

[Rob H.]

7. Great work by Europol and all the other agencies that went after them

70,000 members? :wow:

This other 'graph stood out to me, too (emphasis mine):

(The suspects) include teachers, police officers and scout leaders, AP reported. One Spaniard who worked at summer youth camps is suspected of abusing some 100 children over five years.

Here's hoping that guy NEVER gets out of prison.

Edit: fixed weird spacing

[southmost]

9. as policed as the internet has become

I'm surprised these kinds of sting operations haven't been more successful at catching these kinds of perpetrators

also, at the same time I bet this black market will be pushed back into the underground, as more arrests are publicized