PHILIPPINES: "I LOVE YOU" COMPUTER VIRUS - ARREST MADE

(8 May 2000) English/Nat Investigators in the Philippines have arrested a man suspected of being linked to last week's worldwide \"love bug\" computer virus attack. The arrest came after police raided an apartment in Manila on Monday and found some computer equipment, magazines and accessories. The man's female live-in partner was not at home at the time of the raid, but has promised to appear before investigators. Both are considered suspects in the case. Local radio reports said the male suspect had denied any involvement with the virus, but an investigator said the detainee had \"opted to remain silent\". The investigators went to the apartment in Manila's Pandacan district based on \"confidential information\" provided by informants. The \"love bug\" computer virus is blamed for flooding computer systems in more than 20 countries with infected emails titled \"I love you\". Philippine Internet service providers had been suggesting that the virus programmer was a 23-year-old man. But earlier on Monday, some Philippine investigators said the suspect was a woman. The Washington Post newspaper in the U-S reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) traced the virus to the Philippines through a fairly obvious electronic trail. It also reported that the F-B-I was ready to seize computers used in the attack once it got permission. SOUNDBITE: (English) \"He is the person who was the subject of the raid conducted this afternoon. He is the person under arrest because we are restraining his liberty.\" SUPER CAPTION: Frederico Opinion, Director of National Bureau of Investigation SOUNDBITE: (English) \"After the investigation we will file the necessary charges, in the light of the evidence that will be gathered. We have still plenty of time to hold him in custody.\" Question: \"So you have a suspect in custody right now?\" Answer: \"Yes.\" SUPER CAPTION: Frederico Opinion, Director of National Bureau of Investigation SOUNDBITE: (English) \"We seized some computer accessories and some telephones.\" Question: \"Any publications?\" Answer: \"Yes, there is also some literature - computer literature.\" Question: \"But no computer?\" Answer: \"No computer.\" Question: \"How about a modem?\" Answer: \"No modem also.\" SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Bartoleme, Agent, Anti-fraud and Computer Crime Division, NBI Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...