By Greg Milam, Sky News Europe correspondent

It was only a matter of time: confirmation today that 13 photographers were arrested at the weekend trying to get a sneaky picture of Elisabeth Fritzl or one of her children.

Police say one of the snappers was dressed as a policeman, another as a cleaner.

It has been reported that photographers have also been climbing trees, dressed in a camouflage, in the hope of spotting the family at the clinic near Amstetten where they’re being treated.

The authorities looking after the family have pleaded with the media to stay away.

But doctors say the determination of some photographers to get THAT photo is having a direct impact on the family.

Elisabeth has been unable to visit her seriously ill daughter Kerstin because of the risk of being spotted.

Hospital officials say publication of a photo of Elisabeth could result in “secondary trauma”.

Members of the Austrian anti-terror unit and private security guards have now been employed to patrol the hospital.

Security guards are also on duty at the school which used to be attended by the three “upstairs children” Lisa, Monika and Alexander.

The level of international interest in the Fritzl case has certainly brought about a change in the way the Austrian media have handled the story.

While some newspapers are still refusing to use the name ‘Fritzl’ in their coverage, abiding by ancient Austrian privacy laws, others have thrown the rule book out of the window, aware that media outside Austria have gone to the town on the story.

There is also a major inquest going on about how and why details from initial police interviews with Fritzl were leaked to a German magazine.

Today, comments from Fritzl himself have been given to an Austrian newspaper by his lawyer.

The investigation and the treatment are both going to be long and delicate operations. Privacy, leaks and security are going to remain big issues.

Comments

[Donna, Scotland May 10, 2008 12:09:16 AM]

Do these photographers wish to frighten these poor people even more.

Where is their compassion for these victims.

Can't they wait until this poor family are ready to appear in public.

The horror that they have already suffered is dreadful enough without people treating them as if they were freaks.

I hope that they can show some respect and leave them alone.

Would the photographers think it fair if it was their own families being harassed in this way.

I doubt it very much.

[nguyen May 9, 2008 4:15:43 PM]

this kind of things should never have happened in the first place, because it is pure evil! no excuse whatever....He should be admiting his guilt and apologies to his daughter and family, not making more excuses! He had twenty four years to correct his mistakes, and should not wait til his daughter/grandaughter needed urgent medical intervention before he takes action! i think he would have taken them to the grave with him when he die. think about it, what happen if he die suddenly??? i belive the only best therapy for him is....to lock him in the cellar with no sunlight, and did what he did to his daughter. then he will underst and the suffering he has caused to his daughter.my heart really felt for elizaberth. she should try to move on and forget about the past because, the world is on her side and will look after her now. Never will that monster be allowed to touch her again!

[marian fitzgerald ireland May 9, 2008 8:15:40 AM]

I agree with the person who says the photographers should wait until the family are ready to have a picture taken , but unfortunately that probably wont happen somebody is going to get that picture as soon as they can by one means or another i think the town will have to get used to having reporters etc around for a long time to come they arent going to leave until someone gets a picture and more information its not a reflection on the town that this terrible thing has happened it could anywhere if there was an evil enough person living in our midst......

[Sandra - London May 9, 2008 5:34:48 AM]

Its an utter disgrace that these photographers are putting that poor woman and her children at further risk after all they have been through. In my eyes they are just as bad as the monster himself. I would be quite prepared not to buy a newspaper if their pictures were printed for weeks, months if necessary and hopefully people would follow suit. Also on the punishment that should be dished out to the monster (I can't even bring myself to call him by name) he should be put in the dungeon himself and to be beaten and raped on a daily basis for the rest of his remaining years.....

[hilda, nigeria May 8, 2008 5:11:49 PM]

the man is definitely deranged and a monster to have kept his child locked-up like in the zoo.he needs to have the same treatment for the rest of his life.

[Collier England May 8, 2008 3:24:58 PM]

This man was more than aware of the horrible crimes that he has committed over the years. He should be given life imprisonment! My prayers are with Elizabeth and her children. I also find it very difficult to believe that his wife had no knowledge of the horrible crimes that he was committing over the long 24 years!

[Chris May 8, 2008 11:42:39 AM]

@ Muzza........No I don't agree, sorry. The only reason there are these horrible editors prepared to do anything possible to get these pictures is because they know full well that their paper will sell 4-5x the number of copies than usual if they get the pics. This is driven by the people with tedius lives that I mentioned earlier. No demand from public = no supply of pictures.
Would you be more likely to buy a different paper to usual one day because they have the pics of the family in? My bet is that many people would, hence the money aspect.

[hastings england May 8, 2008 5:45:08 AM]

the family shoud be left along. they have just entered a would that they only know from tv shows and films. their mother has gone though enough and neds time to help her children and try and explane why this is happening. the man who did this should be locked up for life.,

[jenny, cork May 8, 2008 4:34:13 AM]

it is such a heartbreaking story of how a human being cannot choose the life she wanted for herself and have her own excuse for a father and human take away here life for 24 years and inevitably forever...he is evil. but he did know what he was doing and he enjoyed it. Its awful...elizabeth is so brave and now she finally has her freedom back...but what this has done to her we will never know...i hope she is not stuck in that cellar forever.

[Ann Dublin May 8, 2008 3:07:23 AM]

So now he is saying that he allowed Kerstin to go to hospital.He probably thought she would die and his secret would be safe. He is a psychopath. He seems to think he had a right to do what he did. Anyway he allowed an innocent baby to die so he is a murderer. This excuse for a human being is an evil devil.

[kate May 8, 2008 2:16:38 AM]

his lawyer says he doesn't believe Fritzl will get a fair trial because of all the media interest - do the world and the family a favour media bosses and get your reporters/photographers to back away completely from this story so this pathetic excuse of both man and reason cannot be used in the courtroom. He will be imprisoned no matter what but we all want him to get maximum sentence in the worse possible enviroment so should do our uptmost to make it happen. Elisabeth and family need to come to terms with events grieve so should be left alone. If they want to go to press then let them make that decision for themselves when they are ready. Don't force yourselves on them otherwise you are as bad as Frizl is by infinging on their human rights.

[Dottie - Lusaka, Zambia May 8, 2008 1:58:48 AM]

Pse Photograhers should wait for the familiy to recover. It will be up to family to say whether it will be okay to be published or not. But as for now I feel its early for the family go through the publicit.

[tracey, tyne and wear May 8, 2008 1:56:52 AM]

Insanity? huh!!! This man knew what he was doing hes just sick and needs locking up for good in the same or worse conditions that he made his daughter and her childeren live in, its shocking and disgusting,nobody deserves that treatment poor woman she just needs to be left alone with her family to make new and better lives for themselves. My prayers are with them.

[Mohamed Laswidi, Sana, Yemen May 8, 2008 1:02:09 AM]

The Fritzl affair gives heartbreaking sight into all of the world. I couldn't sleep when I heard the news.
I claim the Austrian authorities:
To apply just punishment to Fritzl ( sentencing to jail only not accepted at least to be put under the cellar himself for the rest of his life )
To legalize strong rules against incest and rapes
To create quick and easy system to raise alarm with police when any rape occurs
To investigate that if Fritzl joined a cult spread all over country whose believed with incest, servitude and crude
To check and specify every basements in all over the country

[Mary New Zealand May 7, 2008 2:54:14 PM]

I would appeal to people to boycott any newspaper or magazine that eventually gets a photo. Knowing the tenacity of these individuals it is not if but when.

[Muslim Brother - UK May 7, 2008 2:29:41 PM]

Fritzl is evil beyond belief, when he dies and goes to his grave, he will be further punished and tormented in his grave. he will be cast into HELL FIRE on the day of judgement and shown no mercy by his maker.

[John from Manchester May 7, 2008 12:53:43 PM]

I agree to most of the below. Evil man, wicked acts, etc. It beggars belief in a country that sporned Hitler doesnt it.

However, it would be very interesting from a scientific perspective, how the human body has adapted to living without sunlight and full exercise. One can see that this case is not just for Voyeurs, but also the scientific public at large to look into the human body.

p.s. I am commenting on a case in Europe, so please dont just have a go at my statement saying they deserve peace etc. For the victims, they do not know any different. This is intitutionalised at its most extreme, and good luck to the psychologists that have to now try to get these poor folk back into the modern day and modern way of life.

[rob, liverpool May 7, 2008 11:33:08 AM]

And he says he is not a monster because he could have killed them if he wanted to, what a disgusting joke.

[Emma - Southern CA May 7, 2008 10:51:19 AM]

I am so angry at this Fritzl freak as well, and the stricktest laws of all the world (I think would be found in Texas?) would not serve enough punishment that he has given and that he deserves. But my message to Elisabeth is this: seize your life and live it to the fullest right now. Don't let the press and the rest of the world make you think that you are ruined. You are alive and free. Get a one-way ticket to a tropical island and forget the b****** forever.

[Callum,11 - Farnborough May 7, 2008 9:27:12 AM]

Jaco Els And Loads More People Have The Idea Of Locking 'The Monster' In The Cellar. Thats Silly, He Built It! He's Going To Know A Way Out. I Believe In The Bible Somewhere It Says About 'Where One Person Suffers The Other Will Rest'!
'The Monster' Will Rest Like
Nothing Ever Happened. He Will Rest And Let It All Blow Away. He Shouldn't Be Lock In The Cellar, I'm Thinking - Trip To America And Then Death Row. Cause What He Done To Elizabeth Was Sick Minded And Cruel
I Give Faith To Elizabeth And The Children And I Hope To Think That They Have A Safe And Peaceful Life.

I Don't Think The Children Chould Have Been There When He Raped Her And Full Stop He Shouldn't Have Raped Her! Having Sexual Intercourse Infront Of Children Is Creep, Sick And Just Wrong.

Callum, 11 - Farnborough
Best Wishes To All x :)

[David, London May 7, 2008 9:02:24 AM]

A question for those people wondering how Fritzl can be allowed to see daylight and not just thrown in a dark cell. Is that really the alternative you want? So far he's not been tried let alone convicted. In fact last I read the prosecutor hadn't even met him yet.

The media seems fairly convinced he's guilty and presumably that's good enough for you. After all the media's never wrong is it?

I know that courts make mistakes but without a legal system our society turns into anarchy. Try him in the courts and then if found guilty, which it looks likely that he is, then he should suffer the consequences as defined by the courts.

The Christian Bible may well say "an eye for an eye" but I'd hope in a civilised society we can punish criminals appropriately and not via some out moded system which puts vengeance over justice.

[Muzza, Stevenage May 7, 2008 8:03:40 AM]

Er, Chris - you say the only reason these photographers are interested in the family is because their own lives are do tedious. I don't think that's the reason do you? No, somewhere out there (most likely here in the UK) are some vulgar little newspaper editors (the same sort that killed Diana) prepared to pay a lifetimes wages for that first picture. It is, as usual, all about the money. And the pigs that dress up and call themselves paparazzi are too blame, as always.

[Gavin, Cape Town May 7, 2008 8:00:53 AM]

I think the full might of the law should be brought upon this evil person and that he should receive the same sentence that he bestowed upon his daughter. I hope the courts will not acquit him on a plea of insanity!

[Somerset May 7, 2008 7:56:11 AM]

This evil monster is in a cell WITH a tv, radio and something to read!!!! He's having a cushy life there???!!! The Tv, radio etc..should be taken away!! And the poor children are suffering in the clinic away from the snappers is scaring them even more. Oh please snappers do have some common sense!!! How about giving the monster the grief, eh snappers?

[STRIKER May 7, 2008 7:22:09 AM]

This man is a monster and he needs to be under the cellar himself for the rest of his life. Well, it can be infringing human rights to publicise the family photos, but people should remember that it is not human to lock children in a cellar beiliving that it is child protection. This is utterly rubbish and is child abuse.

[Jaco Els Isleworth May 7, 2008 7:04:21 AM]

Why this Joe Fritzl is still allowed to see daylight is beyond me. In the bible it says do to others what they do unto you. Joseph Fritzl should be locked in the very dungeon he made and the key should be thrown away. Let him live in those conditions and never see daylight again. He says he is no monster well just that says it all he is insane. As for the media well I understand you want to see the victims but for once think about the people involved. Let them be if no one knows what they look like then oneday they can join society and do it peacefully because nobody will know who they are, so a plea to the media Stay away be fair dont give them a bad view on human kind they have suffered enough

[kate May 7, 2008 6:25:53 AM]

They should throw J. Fritzl into the sea. Even animals have more respect for their kind. I pray for Elizebeth's and her children recovery.

[Sarah, Dublin May 7, 2008 6:11:27 AM]

The EVIL man who did this should be locked up so he can rott & suffer in prison.Leave the family alone, they have enough to deal with at this time and for the rest of their own lives.Many are praying for them.

[Chris May 7, 2008 6:01:13 AM]

The only reason people are so interested with this family is because their own lives are so tedius. Leave the family in peace!

[Amy, Scotland May 7, 2008 5:37:57 AM]

I think this is shocking the poor family of this horrible Person what he has done is not fair!! I hope and pray they are okay and can be reunitied and left alone to live there lives in peace. x x

[Marcia, Cape Town May 7, 2008 5:06:09 AM]

The people wanting to publish a photo of this family and those who would do anything to see such a photo, are infringing on their human rights as much as Joseph Fritzl did. Of course it is human nature to want to see how they are, to gauge for ourselves if they are OK. But we the public must stand back now and give them the privacy to heal from this terrible ordeal. Pray for them, and leave them alone.

[simon potts/ Morecambe May 7, 2008 4:45:24 AM]

The man who did this should be lock up for life for this crime very bad. May God be with them at this time.