Dutch police said they had arrested the self-proclaimed creator of the Anna Kournikova computer virus after he turned himself in.
The 20-year-old man allegedly posted a letter on the web yesterday saying he was the creator of the virus which, disguised as a digital photo of the Russian tennis star, e-mailed itself around the world. It slowed down e-mail systems and caused some servers to be shut down.
When it became clear what damage the virus was causing, and after consulting his parents, the suspect decided to turn himself in, Dutch police said in a statement.
A police spokesman said the man referred to himself as 'On The Fly'.
In a letter posted online, the self-confessed virus creator claimed inspiration in equal parts from devotion to the 19-year-old tennis star and evidence that Internet users were not taking measures to protect themselves from viruses.
The man, who has been released pending a court appearance, could face a prison sentence of up to four years.
Reuters