Sweden sues 'illegal' download site

A Swedish prosecutor filed charges against the organizers of popular file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, saying it has helped millions of users worldwide violate copyrights.

The Pirate Bay, started in 2004, allows 10 million to 15 million users to share films, music and other copyright-protected material.

In charges that included top Hollywood production houses as plaintiffs, prosecutor Hakan Roswall focused on four men he said were responsible for the organization, financing and operation of the site.

"The operation of The Pirate Bay is financed through advertising revenues. In that way it commercially exploits copyright-protected work and performances," Roswall said in a statement.

The prosecutor listed dozens of works that had been downloaded through The Pirate Bay, including The Beatles album "Let It Be", Robbie Williams' "Intensive Care" and the movie "Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire."

Plaintiffs in the case include Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., MGM Pictures Inc., Colombia Pictures Industries Inc., 20th Century Fox Films Co., Sony BMG, Universal and EMI, who have until February 29 to file claims for damages.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/01/pirate.sue.ap/index.html