Sabotage

[io]

Belgium police arrest notorious teenage hacker
By: Associated Press

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- A notorious Belgian computer hacker who has made 
an international name for herself as a woman in a male-dominated 
activity is facing criminal charges.

  Belgian police have arrested the 19-year-old technology student, 
confiscated her five computers and shut down her Web site.

  La Libre Belgique, a Belgian daily, reports the woman, identified only 
by her nickname, "Gigabyte'' was charged with "computer data 
sabotage.''

  If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison and fines of up to 
$127,000.

  The paper reports she was arrested Monday and released after 24 hours.

  Police tell the paper she was preparing to publish new viruses on her 
Web site.

  In a 2002 interview carried on a Web site, Gigabyte defended her work 
by saying she never spread the viruses.

  According to TechTV, Gigabyte began writing programs when she was just 
6-years-old and created her first computer worm at 14.

  Copyright 2004 Associated Press, All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or 
redistributed.