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British computer hacker Gary McKinnon is one step closer to standing trial in the United States.
In 2002, Gary McKinnon was arrested by British police after the U.S. Department of Justice accused the man of breaking into American government computer systems. All in all, McKinnon is accused of hacking into computers belonging to the Pentagon, NASA, and the U.S. Army and Navy, amounting to USD $700,000 in damages. Now, after the British Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has decided not to press any charges against McKinnon, he will likely be extradited to the United States to stand trial.
According to Reuters, McKinnon and his legal team wanted to stand trial in Britain because he would probably face a shorter sentence. If tried and convicted in America, McKinnon will face up to 70 years behind bars. After review by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the British government decided McKinnon needed to face his accusers in the country where his actions took place. "These were not random experiments in computer hacking," said Alison Saunders, head of the CPS Organized Crime Division, "but a deliberate effort to breach U.S. defense systems at a critical time which caused well documented damage."
Throughout his ordeal, McKinnon has maintained that he is just a simple computer enthusiast who became curious about extraterrestrial life on Earth. He claimed his journeys through U.S. government computer systems were only an attempt to satisfy that curiosity. In reality, McKinnon is being accused of bringing down the U.S. Army's Military District of Washington network for 24 hours, which includes over 2,000 computers.
While the DPP decision brings McKinnon one step closer to trial in the U.S., he does have one last shot at staying in Britain. McKinnon has Asperger's Syndrome, and a review of his case involving Britain’s State Department regarding that illness could keep him at home. "Mr. McKinnon will still remain in the United Kingdom as the judicial review proceedings against the (U.K.) Secretary of State remain outstanding and we are hopeful that those proceedings will be successful," said Kaim Todner, one of McKinnon's lawyers.
Despite his illness, breaking into government computer systems is a serious crime. To do it not once, but at least four times makes it hard to believe that McKinnon’s actions were to satiate his curiosity about aliens instead of malicious acts against a foreign government. We'll be sure to keep you posted on Gary McKinnon and his legal battle in the coming months.
Tom's Hardware...
In 2002, Gary McKinnon was arrested by British police after the U.S. Department of Justice accused the man of breaking into American government computer systems. All in all, McKinnon is accused of hacking into computers belonging to the Pentagon, NASA, and the U.S. Army and Navy, amounting to USD $700,000 in damages. Now, after the British Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has decided not to press any charges against McKinnon, he will likely be extradited to the United States to stand trial.
According to Reuters, McKinnon and his legal team wanted to stand trial in Britain because he would probably face a shorter sentence. If tried and convicted in America, McKinnon will face up to 70 years behind bars. After review by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the British government decided McKinnon needed to face his accusers in the country where his actions took place. "These were not random experiments in computer hacking," said Alison Saunders, head of the CPS Organized Crime Division, "but a deliberate effort to breach U.S. defense systems at a critical time which caused well documented damage."
Throughout his ordeal, McKinnon has maintained that he is just a simple computer enthusiast who became curious about extraterrestrial life on Earth. He claimed his journeys through U.S. government computer systems were only an attempt to satisfy that curiosity. In reality, McKinnon is being accused of bringing down the U.S. Army's Military District of Washington network for 24 hours, which includes over 2,000 computers.
While the DPP decision brings McKinnon one step closer to trial in the U.S., he does have one last shot at staying in Britain. McKinnon has Asperger's Syndrome, and a review of his case involving Britain’s State Department regarding that illness could keep him at home. "Mr. McKinnon will still remain in the United Kingdom as the judicial review proceedings against the (U.K.) Secretary of State remain outstanding and we are hopeful that those proceedings will be successful," said Kaim Todner, one of McKinnon's lawyers.
Despite his illness, breaking into government computer systems is a serious crime. To do it not once, but at least four times makes it hard to believe that McKinnon’s actions were to satiate his curiosity about aliens instead of malicious acts against a foreign government. We'll be sure to keep you posted on Gary McKinnon and his legal battle in the coming months.
Tom's Hardware...
