07/07/2006

UK hacker to be extradited to the US

A British computer hacker accused of orchestrating "the biggest military hack of all time" is to be extradited to the US, it was announced today.

Gary McKinnon, 40, from north London, faces more than 50 years in jail for hacking into computers at the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Defense and NASA between February 2001 and March 2002.

US authorities claim that the hacking caused around £370,000 of damage to government computer systems.

More seriously, it has also been alleged that Mr McKinnon deleted files at a US Naval Air Station, shortly after the September 11 attacks, and rendered the computer system inoperable.

Mr McKinnon has never denied accessing the computer networks, but claimed that he was motivated by curiosity, not by any malicious intent.

Home Secretary John Reid granted the US request to extradite Mr McKinnon this week.

Mr McKinnon now has 14 days in which to launch an appeal against the decision.

(KMcA/GB)

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