Dutch man suspected of sexual abuse via webcam with hundreds of children

A 40-year-old man from Amsterdam is suspected of sexual abuse via webcam with hundreds of children, the Dutch Public Prosecutor announced during a preliminary hearing in Amsterdam on Friday. Police and justice say they have found images on the suspect's computer of around 400 children. 56 victims have been identified so far. The suspect Michel S. has been in prison for over six months now. The majority of the victims are boys between 12 and 14 years old. Michel S. operated under various aliases in chat rooms in order to encourage children to do sexual acts in front of a web cam. The Dutch police received a first report about sexual abuse in 2012. In April last year, the research gained momentum after the police did a house search and screened the supect's computer. The victims are both boys and girls, and the police investigation extends to Belgium, Spain and the United States, local media reported.