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UK Court Approves Extradition of Hacker to U.S.
On May 10, 2006, District Judge Nicholas Evans, sitting at Bow Street Magistrates' Court in central London, ruled that a British computer expert, accused by Washington of the world's "biggest military hack of all time", can be extradited to the United States. Gary McKinnon, 40, was arrested last June following charges by U.S. prosecutors that he illegally accessed 97 government computers, including Pentagon, Army, Navy and NASA systems, causing $700,000.00 worth of damage over a one year period beginning in February 2002.
McKinnon fears he will be detained indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay, however, the US government has apparently given assurances to the UK government that McKinnon will not be subject to ‘Military Order Number One’ which would permit indefinite detention.
The final decision on extradition lies with the Home Secretary, John Reid. McKinnon’s lawyers have said they will appeal the decision and that their client could be just as easily tried in Britain and will not receive a fair trial in the U.S.
For additional information, visit:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10052006/80-91/computer-hacker-set-u-s-extradition.html