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By Brian Kavanagh

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will not bring proceedings against Eric Eoin Marques, described by an FBI Special Agent as “the largest facilitator of child porn in the world”.

Marques is alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting.

The 28-year-old is wanted by US authorities to face charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, and advertising and distributing child pornography.

And the Irishman has indicated he would plead guilty to the offences if he were prosecuted here.

Marques, with an address at Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, has been in custody since his arrest in August, after he was refused bail over concerns he represented a flight risk and that he may abscond or interfere with evidence in the case.

The charges against Marques relate to images on over a hundred "anonymous websites" described as being extremely violent, graphic and depicting the rape and torture of pre-pubescent children.

The websites in question have "thousands of members" who have posted "millions of images" of child pornography. Some the children involved are infants, the FBI claim.

The extradition court previously heard from FBI Special Agent Brooke Donahue, who described Mr Marques as "the largest facilitator of child porn in the world”.

Mr Ronan Kennedy BL, for the Attorney General, told the High Court that he had received confirmation this morning (Tuesday) that the DPP had decided not to bring proceedings against Mr Marques with respect to the alleged offences.

Counsel for Marques, Mr Remy Farrell SC, said that last month his solicitor had submitted a detailed letter to the DPP, in which it was indicated that Mr Marques would enter a plea of guilty were the offences to be prosecuted in this jurisdiction.

Mr Farrell said that Marques had maintained his previous observations with regard to the jurisdiction to prosecute, and it was contended that no one other than the DPP had jurisdiction to prosecute.

He said that the direction from the DPP was a “very significant event” in the context of the extradition proceedings, and a number of other events that will affect the overall running of the case would now take place in quick succession.

Mr Farrell submitted that the sensible application would be to adjourn the case and list it for mention in January.

Mr Kennedy told the court that the Attorney General was in a position to fix a date for the hearing of the extradition case.

Mr Justice Edwards said he was conscious that there were complex issues involved and the court must allow a certain amount of time having regard to what was said by Mr Farrell.

He said there was no question of a date being fixed now, and he remanded Mr Marques, who appeared before the court in a grey hoody and jeans, in custody to appear before the High Court on January 21 next.

The High Court previously heard it was alleged that an examination of Marques’ home computer by gardai showed that as well as hosting and facilitating the child pornography websites, Marques was also visiting the sites, had direct knowledge of what he was hosting and had administrator access to one site.

It was also alleged that Marques was attempting to gain access to foreign website hosting companies using a fraudulent image of a United States passport.

The court heard that Marques had “substantial financial resources” – with $1.5 million passing through one bank account - and had searched the internet about whistleblower Edward Snowden and about obtaining a Russian Visa.

There was evidence that Freedom Hosting operated off a server space which was allegedly paid for by an account in Eric Marques’ name from a US bank account, and the billing address was through a private mailbox facility in Las Vegas assigned to Eric Marques.

The court heard that if convicted Mr Marques faces spending the remainder of his natural life in prison as the four charges could result in a sentence totaling 100 years.