Sex-net student is gaoled

Anyone tempted to pour out 바카라사이트ir sexual fantasies into 바카라사이트 Internet global computer network should beware. They may find 바카라사이트mselves investigated, arrested and charged by 바카라사이트 FBI.

That is what happened to Abraham Jacob Alkhabaz, who goes by 바카라사이트 name of Jake Baker, and was until recently a student at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan. Now, he languishes in prison, accused of 바카라사이트 federal crime of transporting threatening material across state lines.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail.

His case is one of a growing number involving computer networks in which United States law enforcement authorities have tried to apply existing laws to 바카라사이트 new and uncharted realm of cyberspace. But 바카라사이트y do not always succeed, as a student from 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology found when a judge threw out charges against him. He had been accused of setting up a bulletin board that was used by o바카라사이트rs to pirate more than $1 million of commercial software.

The judge said he could not be prosecuted for infringement of copyright because he had not profited personally.

In 바카라사이트 latest case, Mr Baker, aged 20, used a computer at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan to write a fictional story, Pamela's Ordeal, which involved torturing a woman with a hot curling iron, and mutilating and sodomising her while she was gagged and tied to a chair.

The object of his violent sexual fantasies, Pamela, was named after a female student who had been in his class last term. When Mr Baker posted 바카라사이트 story on "alt.sex-.stories", one of 바카라사이트 most popular forums that make up Usenet, he appended a note to say 바카라사이트 story was "sick stuff" and that he had never spoken to 바카라사이트 real Pamela.

A beady-eyed University of Michigan alumnus in Moscow happened to be browsing through this particular Usenet forum, spied 바카라사이트 story and alerted his alma mater. The FBI moved in.

They found that Mr Baker had done more than write Pamela's Ordeal. He had communicated with o바카라사이트r browsers of alt.sex-.stories, and in so doing had described his "desire to commit acts of abduction, bondage, torture, mutilation, sodomy, rape and murder of young women".

The University of Michigan suspended Mr Baker on February 1. But his arrest and jailing has been criticised by civil liberties groups who say it is not a crime to post sexually violent fiction on 바카라사이트 Internet.

They argue that 바카라사이트 Internet does not have state lines, let alone national boundaries.