UK Hacker loses extradition appeal, he was only looking for UFOs

**dirtydog** · 28-08-2008, 08:21 PM

Hacker loses extradition appeal

Gary McKinnon could face a long prison sentence

A Briton accused of hacking into secret military computers has lost his appeal against extradition to the US.

Glasgow-born Gary McKinnon was said to be "distraught" after losing the appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. He faces extradition within two weeks.

The unemployed man could face life in jail if convicted of accessing 97 US military and Nasa computers.

The 42-year-old admitted breaking into the computers from his London home but said he sought information on UFOs.

Mr McKinnon asked the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to delay his extradition pending a full appeal to the court against his extradition but his application was refused.

He claimed the extradition would breach his human rights.

'Absolutely devastated'
His solicitor Karen Todner said this had been her client's "last chance" and appealed to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to intervene.

Our client now faces the prospect of prosecution and imprisonment thousands of miles away from his family in a country in which he has never set foot

Solicitor Karen Todner

"He is absolutely devastated by the decision," she said. "He and his family are distraught.
"They are completely beside themselves. He is terrified by the prospect of going to America."
She added Mr McKinnon had recently been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and would ask for the case to be tried in this country.
"The offences for which our client's extradition is sought were committed on British soil and we maintain that any prosecution ought to be carried out by the appropriate British authorities," she added.
"Our client now faces the prospect of prosecution and imprisonment thousands of miles away from his family in a country in which he has never set foot."
Mr McKinnon, from Wood Green, north London, was arrested in 2002 but never charged in the UK.

He first lost his case at the High Court in 2006 before taking it to the highest court in the UK, the House of Lords.

Computer nerd

The US government claims he committed a malicious crime - the biggest military computer hack ever.

The authorities have warned that without his co-operation and a guilty plea the case could be treated as terrorism and he could face a long jail sentence.

The former systems analyst is accused of hacking into the computers with the intention of intimidating the US government.

It alleges that between February 2001 and March 2002, he hacked into dozens of US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Department of Defense computers, as well as 16 Nasa computers.

Prosecutors say he altered and deleted files at a naval air station not long after the 11 September attacks in 2001, rendering critical systems inoperable.

However, Mr McKinnon has said his motives were harmless and innocent. He denies any attempts at sabotage. He said he wanted to find evidence of UFOs he thought was being held by the US authorities, and to expose what he believed was a cover-up.

BBC NEWS | UK | Hacker loses extradition appeal

**pai nai ma** · 28-08-2008, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

"They are completely beside themselves. He is terrified by the prospect of going to America."

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Mr McKinnon had recently been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome

woops.....

**Butterfly** · 28-08-2008, 08:54 PM

being deported to the US today is like being deported to the Soviet Union back in the good old days,

**ChiangMai noon** · 28-08-2008, 08:54 PM

it's not inconceivable that he was actually looking for evidence of aliens.

Originally Posted by dirtydog

The authorities have warned that without his co-operation and a guilty plea the case could be treated as terrorism and he could face a long jail sentence.

don't they have more important things to worry about, like sorting out their leaky computer system.

leave him be, poor lad.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 08:58 PM

Yet another example of the shameless worldwide pursuit of all-and-sundry by the Americans. I have followed this case from the start and it is astonishing that he should be sent to a country he has never visited to face a kangaroo court. If any offence has taken place, he should be properly tried in the jurisdiction where the alleged offence too place - i.e. his local court in the UK.

There is perfectly adequate legislation on the statute book for him to be tried in the UK, but, due to the kow-towing and sucking up that the present Labour Government specialises in, we have this shameful capitulation.

**pai nai ma** · 28-08-2008, 08:59 PM

strains credulity, it do.

You buy the ufo/aspergers defense, andrew?

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:01 PM

Good job - you break laws - u go to jail!!! Put the muppet in jail where he belongs.

**ChiangMai noon** · 28-08-2008, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Good job - you break laws - u go to jail!!! Put the muppet in jail where he belongs.

your trollery is becoming ridiculous of late brit.

**Norton** · 28-08-2008, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

don't they have more important things to worry about, like sorting out their leaky computer system.

Wouldn't be unusual to grant him immunity to prosecution if he pleads guilty and cooperates in helping sort out the "leaky computer system". Might even put him on the payroll to hack other countries computer systems. It's been done before.

**pai nai ma** · 28-08-2008, 09:11 PM

It won't kill him to acquire a taste for coffee and learn a bit of English.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by pai nai ma

strains credulity, it do.

You buy the ufo/aspergers defense, andrew?

Having seen him interviewed, totally. He still lives with his mum and hacked in from his bedroom. Not exactly Al-Quaida sabotage.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Good job - you break laws - u go to jail!!! Put the muppet in jail where he belongs.

Your the muppet. Do you actually understand the issue at hand here?

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:28 PM

It's illegal and he knowing broke the law. It's not hard to understand why one has to make example of him.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Good job - you break laws - u go to jail!!! Put the muppet in jail where he belongs.

your trollery is becoming ridiculous of late brit.

Quite.

After all, thats what he does to trolls on ThaiVisa...

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by britmaveric

It's illegal and he knowing broke the law. It's not hard to understand why one has to make example of him.

Then try him in the jurisdiction that he is alleged to have broken the law.

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:30 PM

Please the only troll is bkkandrew, I only put up with you because you are bit slow and can't help yourself.

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by bkkandrew

Originally Posted by britmaveric

It's illegal and he knowing broke the law. It's not hard to understand why one has to make example of him.

Then try him in the jurisdiction that he is alleged to have broken the law.

Hacked Yank systems - which is in a US territory, so your argument is weak.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:33 PM

^^When was the last time a post of yours was longer than one line?

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by bkkandrew

^^When was the last time a post of yours was longer than one line?

ironic - you have plenty of one lines yourself.

(not to mention that you are slow, I need to keep things simple for you)

**pai nai ma** · 28-08-2008, 09:35 PM

It would seem that there is no lack of UK/International case law on the issue.

**ChiangMai noon** · 28-08-2008, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by britmaveric

which is in a US territory, so your argument is weak.

the US is known for its equity these days.

I'm sure he'll get a very fair trial.

may have to be locked up without charge for 9 or 10 years and undergo a bit of torture first though, but when alls said and done.........

**britmaveric** · 28-08-2008, 09:36 PM

Locked up and buggered by a big black lad is more likely CMN.

bkkandrew · 28-08-2008, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Originally Posted by bkkandrew

Originally Posted by britmaveric

It's illegal and he knowing broke the law. It's not hard to understand why one has to make example of him.

Then try him in the jurisdiction that he is alleged to have broken the law.

Hacked Yank systems - which is in a US territory, so your argument is weak.

He was in the UK. He has never been to the US.

The UK has perfectly good laws to cover computer hacking that takes place when you are in the UK. He could be tried under those laws and present his defence accordingly. But no, The Neo-cons searching every corner of the globe for someone to drag into the largest penal colony in the world have their sights on him and our stupid, ineffectual, lame excuse for a Government just go along with it.

**pai nai ma** · 28-08-2008, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

The authorities have warned that without his co-operation and a guilty plea the case could be treated as terrorism and he could face a long jail sentence.

This line from the article seems to offer some hope for the ufo seeker.

**Carnwadrick** · 28-08-2008, 09:38 PM

Another case of a brilliant Scottish mind being corrupted on foriegn soil (England) if he had only stayed home he could have put his brain to work finding the real UFOs in the scary nightlife of Glasgow

Thread: UK Hacker loses extradition appeal, he was only looking for UFOs

Thread Tools

Display

UK Hacker loses extradition appeal, he was only looking for UFOs

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions