The Justice Secretary has warned child abusers that they will be caught as he met police who helped convict eight members of a paedophile ring.
Kenny MacAskill said developments in techniques meant that those who use the internet to plot crimes of abuse against children can expect to be traced and punished.
Eight men were found guilty on Thursday of a catalogue of child pornography and abuse charges, including the sexual assault of a three-month-old baby.
Convicted sex offender Neil Strachan, 41, and gay rights campaigner James Rennie, 38, both from Edinburgh, were convicted of sex attacks on children. Ross Webber, 27, of North Berwick, Craig Boath, 24, from Dundee and John Milligan, 40, from Glasgow, were all found guilty of conspiring to participate in the sexual abuse of children along with Strachan and Rennie.
From various locations across Scotland, they plotted, whether by using web cameras or other means such as by phone, to participate in sexual offences.The five men, along with Colin Slaven, 23, from Edinburgh and Neil Campbell, 46 and John Murphy, 44, from Glasgow, were also convicted of a catalogue of child porn offences.
All the offences were committed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and East Lothian during various periods ranging from February 2004 to May 2008.
From top left to right: Neil Campbell, John Milligan, Neil Strachan, Craig Boath; Bottom left to right: John Murphy, James Rennie, Colin Slaven, Ross Webber
On Saturday, Mr MacAskill met members of the Operation Algebra investigative team which led the inquiry at an Edinburgh police station. He said: "Operation Algebra is a historic case and a landmark for our criminal justice system, as it involves the first ever convictions in Scotland for conspiracy to commit abuse against children.
"It means that not only those who commit abuse but also those who plot such crimes can expect to be caught and treated with the full severity of the law. Developments both in the techniques employed by investigators and the nature of the prosecution mean that those who use the internet to plan crimes of abuse against children know that we can find them and they will be punished.
"Truly appalling crimes were uncovered and the perpetrators successfully brought to justice thanks to the outstanding work of the police officers and prosecutors involved in Operation Algebra, and as a society we are deeply grateful for the work they do, day-in day-out."
He said that Operation Algebra could result in further prosecutions and will also assist police and justice authorities in other parts of the world.
They will benefit from the work of the Scottish criminal justice system in helping to bring appalling crimes against children to the attention of the law, and to justice, he added.
The gang members were traced through their explicit internet chats about sexual fantasies involving children.
Nearly 125,000 indecent images were seized during Operation Algebra, which uncovered the group, believed to be Scotland's biggest paedophile network. The investigation expanded to reach around 200 individuals throughout the world.
Officers traced a number of those people to other parts of the UK and there are around 30 other ongoing inquiries linked into Operation Algebra throughout the UK and elsewhere.
