Experts at SophosLabs, the security firm's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centres, have welcomed the news that the FBI and Turkish authorities have identified 16 more individuals suspected of assisting in the Zotob and Mytob worm outbreaks.

Louis Reigel, assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, told delegates at the International High-Tech Crime Investigation Association's annual conference about the announcement from Turkey.

Last week, 21 year-old Atilla Ekici was arrested in Turkey. It is alleged that he paid Moroccan resident Farid Essebar to write the Zotob worms which disrupted high profile organisations around the world in August.

"Worms and viruses are increasingly being written to steal confidential data from innocent people's computers, to hijack resources, or launch spam or denial-of-service attacks," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

"As the authorities investigate more deeply into this case they are likely to uncover traces of communications and connections between different internet criminals.

"The arrests of two people last week could lead to the break-up of a much larger internet gang."

No further arrests have been announced as yet.