"On or before the 20th of June 2011 you did conspire with other person or persons unknown to conduct unauthorised modification of computers by constructing and distributing a computer program to form a network of computers (a Botnet) modified and configured to conduct Distributed Denial of Service attacks," read the charge list.

Police also charged Cleary with aiming DDoS attacks at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) site last November and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) Web site last October.

On Tuesday, , saying that he was "at best, mildly associated with us."

"Ryan Cleary is not part of LulzSec," the group said on . "We house one of our many legitimate chat rooms on his IRC server, but that's it."

The group made other efforts to distance itself from Cleary. "Seems the glorious leader of LulzSec got arrested, it's all over now... wait... we're all still here! Which poor bastard did they take down?" said LulzSec on Twitter .