Interpol yesterday launched an unprecedented worldwide hunt for a man who it said had posted pictures on the Internet of himself raping young boys.
The International Criminal Police Organization, based in Lyon, France, issued the global request for assistance on its Web site along with a picture of the wanted suspect.
This was "the first time the organization has made such an appeal," it stressed in a statement.
"For years, images of this man sexually abusing children have been circulating on the Internet," Interpol chief Ronald Noble said.
"We have tried all other means to identify and to bring him to justice, but we are now convinced that without the public's help this sexual predator could continue to rape and sexually abuse young children whose ages appear to range from six to early teens."
Interpol said a special crimes unit in Germany managed to produce the picture of the man from his photos that had been digitally altered on the Web.
His identity and nationality were unknown.
According to the police organization, some 200 photos have been circulating of the man assaulting 12 different young boys. It was believed the images were taken in Cambodia or Vietnam.
Kristin Kvigne, the assistant director of Interpol's Trafficking in Human Beings Unit, said: "We are certainly not encouraging members of the public to take any direct action themselves, particularly since any positive identification would need to be confirmed by law enforcement authorities."
But she urged anyone who recognized the man to contact police.
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