McKinnon faces extradition within fortnight

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 28 Aug 2008 at 13:42

Gary McKinnon is to be extradited to the US after losing his appeal before the European Court of Human Rights.

McKinnon, accused of "the biggest military hack of all time" by US authorities, could be extradited within a fortnight according to his solicitor.

The decision brings to a close a long legal battle which has already seen his case dragged before the High Court and Lords.

McKinnon stands accused of penetrating the defences of 97 US military and NASA systems and leaving mocking messages, including one which read "US foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism these days."

McKinnon claims he was simply a hapless computer nerd looking for proof of aliens, and his defence team want McKinnon tried in the UK where sentences for computer crimes are more lenient.

They claim he cannot be guaranteed a fair trial in the US after being told he would "fry" by authorities. His lawyers are also wary of him being attributed "enemy combatant" status which could result in a 70-year jail term, which they argue is vastly disproportionate to his alleged crime.

Prosecutors, however, paint a different picture, charging McKinnon with stealing sensitive files and wiping boot data causing $700,000 of damage in the process.