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Gary McKinnon's mother brands extradition of her son 'disgusting'

by Yommie | November 27, 2009 at 03:53 am

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The mother of computer hacker Gary McKinnon has criticised the home secretary's decision to extradite her son to the US as "disgusting".

McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, is said to be at serious risk of suicide after Alan Johnson rejected a last-ditch attempt to prevent his extradition.

In a letter today the home secretary ordered McKinnon's removal to the US on charges of breaching US military and Nasa computers, despite claims by his lawyers that extradition would make the 43-year-old's death "virtually certain".

"The secretary of state is of the firm view that McKinnon's extradition would not be incompatible with his [human] rights," said the letter, dated 26 November. "His extradition to the United States must proceed forthwith."

The mothr of Gary McKinnon seemed to have forgotten her son committed a crime. She was adverse to her son's extradition just because she believes US is evil and Britain should do more to protect its young sons than send them over to another country to rot. Sounds a bit naive and stupid to me.

Gary McKinnon knew he was hacking another government's files. He kknew he was breaking the law. He thought he won't be prosecuted. You did the crime. You must do the time.

UPDATE:

'Alan Johnson said he may grant Pentagon hacker Gary McKinnon extra time to apply for judicial review of his US extradition case, but the home secretary insisted he was powerless to stop the forced transfer.

'"As I have said at every stage of these proceedings, we will not commence extradition proceedings until all legal avenues Mr. McKinnon wants to pursue have been exhausted," Jonson told the House of Commons during a debate Tuesday.'

I will keep an eye on this as UK gives McKinnon's lawyers every rope to pull in order to waste time. But if time-wasting is their goal, then to what end is it? It is better for Gary McKinnon to leave and start serving whatever sentence he given rather than waste 5 years then still get extradicted to serve his sentence.

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marianmo

at 04:51 on November 27th, 2009

if you cant do the time dont do the crime...i agree he knew what he was doing

Uwe Paschen

at 05:06 on November 27th, 2009

I am not certain why they prosecute the hacker, they should give him a job since their own people do not seem to be able to keep the system safe.

Prosecution is nothing then a fear tactic to dissuade others from trying to access does files. Now in a democracy the public should be allowed to know and have access any how.

Still, should a member of a let say terror cell do the same then they may need McKinnon's help. By then it may be to late though.

He should have offered his services to the Taliban, they would have paid him well.

Hugh Askew

at 18:08 on November 27th, 2009

"Prosecution is nothing then a fear tactic to dissuade others from trying to access does files. Now in a democracy the public should be allowed to know and have access any how."

We should allow hackers access to personal files? Medical files? Payroll files? Military files? That would be folly.

Those files belong to the person, or organizations that created or purchased the files. Have they no right to ownership? No expectation of privacy? No control over confidential information?

Why not just decree that anyone can have whatever they want, whenever they want?

Yommie

at 06:18 on November 27th, 2009

What constitute a good security system is subjective. A person might love to use grenades and mines to protect his property while the other may favour a bow and arrow. If a thief stole from the man with bow and arrow and was CAUGHT, he has to pay irrespective of whatever means the owner of the property used to secure his goods.