Ten people were arrested or had their computers seized in dawn raids across the UK today as part of the world's largest ever joint police crackdown on paedophiles.
Detectives in 19 countries simultaneously targeted 130 people in an unprecedented UK-led operation against perverts who use the Internet to download and distribute child pornography. Ireland was not one of the countries involved.
The sting was led by the UK's National Crime Squad which monitored activity in 33 Internet newsgroups used by paedophiles over a 16-day period.
They found 105,000 illegal images had been posted, featuring thousands of different children, and there were nearly 10,000 "hits" by online paedophiles.
The newsgroups act as online bulletin boards, allowing users to post information and images which can then be downloaded by anyone with a computer and modem.
A web site address is not needed but they can be easily accessed by anyone, including youngsters themselves.
Nearly all the images uncovered were of prepubescent children and some showed horrific acts involving babies.
There was also evidence that some children were being "groomed" for sex abuse and effectively advertised on the Internet.
PA