Martens plans to set up a course to prevent kids from "crossing the line" in cyberspace. "We are also a role model," he argued. "We can be more helpful than scolding parents who might have no idea about technology and computers."

Barry van Kampen, head of the Utrecht, Netherlands-based hackers collective , agreed. "Yes, I concur with this," said Van Kampen, pointing to the fact that some members of RevSpace already know the boy. "We too are responsible for each other."

The worst thing that can happen to 16-year-old "Jeroenz0r" is that he becomes isolated, said Van Kampen, who sympathizes with the suspect. "Because the government and even our parents often don't understand us."

The arrested boy has apparently confessed that he is responsible for attacks on the websites of MasterCard and Visa. "He admitted that he started the cyberattack," a spokesperson of the Prosecutors Office . On Friday the Rotterdam criminal court judge another two weeks.