Two Europeans have been charged in the U.S. for launching Internet attacks to shut down two retail Web sites.

Lee Graham Walker of Britain and Axel Gembe of Germany have been charged with conspiracy and intentionally damaging computer networks that belonged to Rapid Satellite and Los Angeles-based Weaknees. Both outfits flog DVRs and television satellite systems.

Coppers still have not found Walker and Gembe, whom they claim launched a distributed denial-of-service attack against the two Web sites on behalf of a competitor. Both companies' Web sites were shut down for two weeks due to the attacks in October 2003. Weaknees lost more than $200,000 because of the shutdown.

Jay Echouafni was jailed for with conspiracy relating to the same computer attack, and hired Walker to launch the attack. Walker allegedly used a network he developed with Gembe, prosecutors claim. Ashley pleaded guilty and served two years in prison.

Gembe wrote a worm called Agobot.  If the pair are found and convicted, they could face 15 years in prison.

More here.