AT&T Tech Support 360
- Related Stories
-
NASA hacker case adjourned over extradition fears
February 16, 2006 -
Alleged NASA hacker faces extradition hearing
February 14, 2006 -
NASA hacker begins extradition fight
July 27, 2005 -
Gary McKinnon: Scapegoat or public enemy?
July 13, 2005 -
Alleged hacker: U.S. defense sites poorly secured
July 13, 2005 -
Alleged hacker faces extradition to U.S.
June 8, 2005 -
DOJ indicts alleged British hacker
November 12, 2002
Gary McKinnon appeared in court in London on Wednesday, in the latest stage in a protracted legal process. His defense has argued that he should not be extradited, as he could be tried under the tough antiterrorism laws in the U.S., sent to Guantanamo Bay and imprisoned for up to 60 years.
On Wednesday, the prosecution produced an unsigned note from the U.S. Embassy, which they claimed was a guarantee that McKinnon would not be tried under Military Order No. 1, which allows suspected terrorists to be tried under military law.
However, the defense argued that the note was not signed and therefore not binding. The defense called Clive Stafford-Smith, a U.S. lawyer who has defended Guantanamo Bay inmates, as a witness. Stafford-Smith argued that the note would not prevent McKinnon from being treated as a terrorist.
"(U.S. President Bush) has a very strong view that he has legislative authority that is not trammeled by the legislature," Stafford-Smith said.
McKinnon also indicated that he wasn't convinced that the unsigned note would protect him. "It's not worth the paper it's written on," he said outside the court.
The case was adjourned until May 10, when a final decision will be made on whether McKinnon can be extradited.
McKinnon is charged with illegally accessing 97 U.S. government computers, run by NASA and the U.S. military, and causing $700,000 worth of damage over a 12-month period starting in February 2001.
McKinnon, from North London, has admitted that he accessed some U.S. military computers, but has denied causing serious damage. The UFO enthusiast has claimed that he was searching through government systems for evidence of extraterrestrial life.
Tom Espiner of ZDNet UK reported from London.
See more CNET content tagged:
fate,
defense,
hacking,
note,
London
Please, do us all a favor and just unplug your computer and throw it out the window. That is the worst comparison I've ever heard.
"war on terror" is also officially permanent. So he
could probably be held in Guantanamo or in one of
the secret eastern European prisons for life without
being charged.
This hacker did what hundreds have done before and few of them got more than slaps on the wrist or short prison sentences and fines. Now, because of the phony 'War on Terror' (which has been such a success so far - Osama bin who?), the government thinks it can fool us into believing it's got a grip on the situation by throwing a few soft targets in jail for life.
The sooner the Bushbots realise they've been had for the past five years and start working to restore the foundations of due process and justice upon which America was found, the better it will be for us all.
Or do we have to wait for the Chimperor to nuke Iran before the message gets across?
Facinating to see that there are people with brains and personal intelligence that does not fall for the same old lies as king george creates.
How many people must die or rot in Gitmo before the people DEMAND our leaders follow the law and OUR orders?
This is not a nation run by dictators(yet), but if something isn't done soon, it will be as it's only a matter of time before voting is restricted or denied to all.
The more people that sit in prison, the less are 'allowed' to vote, and EVERYBODY has the RIGHT TO VOTE, this is NOT a privilege as bush assumes it is, and it can NOT be denied either!
How can anybody blindly trust this moron that made the claim that the constitution is just a G** D****D piece of paper???
That surely sounds of TREASON to me, especially since he MUST take the OATH of ofice BEFORE he can be president, his remark should have set off alarms nationwide then, and he should be rotting in prison for the same 60 years, like he loves to do to others!
When he swore to uphold and defend the constitution, this meant for his entire term, and not only for the length of time it took to be sworn in.
George MUST be placed in prison for his CRIMES against the U.S.A.
Usurpation of ANY rights retained by the people, by any branch of government MUST be punished with LIFE IN PRISON for TREASON!
Nothing less will suffice!
DON'T TREAD ON ME!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^<---Was that NOT the battle cry for FREEDOM once?
Let's make certain the government NEVER treads on OUR rights or freedoms, it never had the power to do so, nor was it ever granted total power over the people, but after 9/11, we allowed our government to lie cheat and steal from us on a whim, and it has cost US livess because of it!
The line must be drawn HERE!
This far, NO FARTHER!
Our own government's actions are treasonous to its people, we MUST put an END to the treachery before it's too late!
Second, quit using stories like this just to push your Bush hating agenda's. More than likely he will be extradited, tried and sentenced. Simple as that.