Stockholm  - A website, recently at the centre of a trial in Sweden over alleged illegal file sharing, was Wednesday reported to be launching a potentially controversial service aimed at make people online more anonymous.

The service, known as IPREDator, is available on the Pirate Bay website and allows users to use a special virtual private network (VPN), thereby making their web activity practically untraceable.

Users could sign up for a VPN, currently in a test version, for 5 euros (6.7 dollars) a month.

The move comes shortly the Swedish parliament approved a file sharing law that was due to come into effect April 1.

According to the law, internet providers may be ordered by courts to release information that can help authorities track alleged illegal file sharers.

The law is based on the European Union's Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED).

"This is a political statement," Pirate Bay spokesman Peter Sunde told the online edition of the Dagens Nyheter newspaper.

In addition to the monthly fee, users may experience slower connections.

Sunde is one of four men who was on trial at a district court in Stockholm over operating the Pirate Bay website.

The court ruling is due next month. The prosecutor called for year-long jail terms and damages against the four defendants accused of violating copyright infringements by allowing the site to be used to swap films and music. (dpa)