Menu
31/07/2009
Hacker Loses Appeal Against US Extradition
British hacker Gary McKinnon has lost his latest High Court legal action to avoid extradition to the USA.
Mr McKinnon, 43, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, is accused of the "biggest military hack of all time", accessing 97 government computers belonging to organisations including the US military and Nasa.
US authorities want to try McKinnon from Wood Green, north London, for damage costing $800,000 (£487,000). They allege his conduct was intentional and calculated to influence and affect it by "intimidation and coercion".
He admits to the hacking, but denies it was malicious, insisting he was looking for classified documents on UFOs which he believed the US authorities had suppressed.
Mr McKinnon was caught trying to download a photograph, which he believed was an alien spacecraft from a Nasa computer. He was traced after using his own email address.
Glasgow-born Mr McKinnon had challenged refusals by the home secretary and director of public prosecutions to try him in the UK.
In a 41-page ruling, the judges said extradition was "a lawful and proportionate response to his offending".
He faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted in the US.
His mother, Janis Sharp, speaking outside the High Court, said he her son had been naive to admit to computer misuse without having a lawyer and without one being present.
She said: "We are heartbroken. If the law says it's fair to destroy someone's life in this way then it's a bad law."
Last October the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith made a ruling to allow his extradition. In February the Crown Prosecution Service refused to bring charges against Mr McKinnon in the UK.
He has already unsuccessfully appealed to the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights and his latest judicial reviews in the High Court are his last chance.
Mr McKinnon's lawyers believe the authorities have not given proper consideration to his Asperger's Syndrome. They say that the stress of extradition and US prison conditions, could result in "disastrous consequences" such as psychosis and suicide.
(GK/KMcA)
Mr McKinnon, 43, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, is accused of the "biggest military hack of all time", accessing 97 government computers belonging to organisations including the US military and Nasa.
US authorities want to try McKinnon from Wood Green, north London, for damage costing $800,000 (£487,000). They allege his conduct was intentional and calculated to influence and affect it by "intimidation and coercion".
He admits to the hacking, but denies it was malicious, insisting he was looking for classified documents on UFOs which he believed the US authorities had suppressed.
Mr McKinnon was caught trying to download a photograph, which he believed was an alien spacecraft from a Nasa computer. He was traced after using his own email address.
Glasgow-born Mr McKinnon had challenged refusals by the home secretary and director of public prosecutions to try him in the UK.
In a 41-page ruling, the judges said extradition was "a lawful and proportionate response to his offending".
He faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted in the US.
His mother, Janis Sharp, speaking outside the High Court, said he her son had been naive to admit to computer misuse without having a lawyer and without one being present.
She said: "We are heartbroken. If the law says it's fair to destroy someone's life in this way then it's a bad law."
Last October the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith made a ruling to allow his extradition. In February the Crown Prosecution Service refused to bring charges against Mr McKinnon in the UK.
He has already unsuccessfully appealed to the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights and his latest judicial reviews in the High Court are his last chance.
Mr McKinnon's lawyers believe the authorities have not given proper consideration to his Asperger's Syndrome. They say that the stress of extradition and US prison conditions, could result in "disastrous consequences" such as psychosis and suicide.
(GK/KMcA)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
03 April 2007
British hacker loses extradition battle
A British man accused of carrying out "the biggest military computer hack of all time" has lost his High Court fight to avoid extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon, from Wood Green, north London, is accused of accessing 97 computers, used by the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Defence and NASA, causing around £370,000 worth of damage.
British hacker loses extradition battle
A British man accused of carrying out "the biggest military computer hack of all time" has lost his High Court fight to avoid extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon, from Wood Green, north London, is accused of accessing 97 computers, used by the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Defence and NASA, causing around £370,000 worth of damage.
09 October 2009
Pentagon 'Hacker' Loses Extradition Trial
After three years fighting extradition to the USA, a British computer hacker who breached top-secret defence computers may now be facing more than 60 years in jail. Gary McKinnon has been refused permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court against his extradition to US.
Pentagon 'Hacker' Loses Extradition Trial
After three years fighting extradition to the USA, a British computer hacker who breached top-secret defence computers may now be facing more than 60 years in jail. Gary McKinnon has been refused permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court against his extradition to US.
16 October 2012
Computer Hacker McKinnon Will Not Be Extradition
Home Sectrary Theresa May has decided that computer hacker Gary McKinnon will not be extradited to the United States, citing human right grounds. She said that there was such a high risk of McKinnon, 46, who has Asperger's syndrome and suffers from depressive illness, ending his life that it was incompatible with his human rights.
Computer Hacker McKinnon Will Not Be Extradition
Home Sectrary Theresa May has decided that computer hacker Gary McKinnon will not be extradited to the United States, citing human right grounds. She said that there was such a high risk of McKinnon, 46, who has Asperger's syndrome and suffers from depressive illness, ending his life that it was incompatible with his human rights.
28 August 2008
British 'Hacker' Loses US Extradition Appeal
A British computer expert, accused of hacking into secret military computers has today lost his appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, and now faces extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon, born in Glasgow, will face extradition to the United States in the next fortnight, his solicitor has said.
British 'Hacker' Loses US Extradition Appeal
A British computer expert, accused of hacking into secret military computers has today lost his appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, and now faces extradition to the US. Gary McKinnon, born in Glasgow, will face extradition to the United States in the next fortnight, his solicitor has said.
23 January 2009
Hacker Wins Right To Challenge Extradition
A British hacker has been granted permission by the High Court to apply for a judicial review against his extradition to the United States. Gary McKinnon, 42, from Wood Green, who admitted hacking into US military computers, was diagnosed last August as having Aspeger's Syndrome.
Hacker Wins Right To Challenge Extradition
A British hacker has been granted permission by the High Court to apply for a judicial review against his extradition to the United States. Gary McKinnon, 42, from Wood Green, who admitted hacking into US military computers, was diagnosed last August as having Aspeger's Syndrome.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A rather cloudy morning, with a little patchy light rain or drizzle to start. Skies clearing and becoming dry and increasingly sunny in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 13 °C.Tonight:Dry with prolonged clear spells through the evening and overnight. This will allow for some fog patches to develop in places overnight. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
