TheMercenary • Jul 30, 2008 3:15 pm
London hacker loses appeal over US extradition
A London man accused of hacking into the computer systems of the US military and NASA on Wednesday lost his appeal against extradition to face trial.
Gary McKinnon, 42, tried to prevent his transfer to the United States to be tried over what has been described as the "biggest military hack of all time" by taking his case to Britain's highest court, the House of Lords.
But five judges unanimously rejected the appeal, paving the way for the unemployed UFO enthusiast to be extradited to the US, where he could be jailed for up to 70 years if convicted of sabotaging vital US defence systems.
McKinnon, from Enfield in north London, was not in court to hear the ruling, but a statement read by his lawyers afterwards denied that he was either "a terrorist (or) a terrorist sympathiser".
"His case could have been properly dealt with by our own prosecuting authorities," they said.
"Instead, we believe that the British government declined to prosecute him to enable the US government to make an example of him. American officials involved in this case have stated that they want to see him 'fry'.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080730123957.tnatewwl&show_article=1
A London man accused of hacking into the computer systems of the US military and NASA on Wednesday lost his appeal against extradition to face trial.
Gary McKinnon, 42, tried to prevent his transfer to the United States to be tried over what has been described as the "biggest military hack of all time" by taking his case to Britain's highest court, the House of Lords.
But five judges unanimously rejected the appeal, paving the way for the unemployed UFO enthusiast to be extradited to the US, where he could be jailed for up to 70 years if convicted of sabotaging vital US defence systems.
McKinnon, from Enfield in north London, was not in court to hear the ruling, but a statement read by his lawyers afterwards denied that he was either "a terrorist (or) a terrorist sympathiser".
"His case could have been properly dealt with by our own prosecuting authorities," they said.
"Instead, we believe that the British government declined to prosecute him to enable the US government to make an example of him. American officials involved in this case have stated that they want to see him 'fry'.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080730123957.tnatewwl&show_article=1