UFO hacker McKinnon granted U.S. extradition reprieve

by Steve Ragan - Aug 13 2008, 13:59

When we last heard from Gary McKinnon (a.k.a. the NASA hacker), he had lost his appeal against extradition to the United States. Following that decision, McKinnon's lawyers said they would fight the recent dismissal in the British House of Lords and take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in France. They did just that, and the European Court of Human Rights has duly granted McKinnon "interim relief".

European Court of Human Rights allows McKinnon to stay in the U.K., for now. (IMG:J.Anderson)

This means, for the time being, that Gary McKinnon, the thirty-nine-year-old systems administrator accused of hacking several United States Government computers, will not be visiting a U.S. courtroom anytime soon. The Strasbourg-based court said that McKinnon would be allowed to remain in the U.K. until the court returns for another session on August 28. At that time, he will learn if his “Hail Mary” of an appeal has worked. If this final appeal is rejected, McKinnon will be promptly dispatched to the U.S. to face trial."The presidents of the European Court of Human Rights have granted interim relief to Gary McKinnon for a period of two weeks until 28 August, 2008, for the application to be heard before the full chamber," said McKinnon’s lawyer Karen Todner in a statement.The charges against McKinnon stem from hacking sessions that deleted or accessed critical systems and files between February of 2001 and March of 2002. Among the systems accessed were computers owned by NASA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Air Force. McKinnon's reasoning for the hacks was to uncover confidential information related to anti-gravity propulsion systems and extraterrestrial technology, which he believed the authorities were hiding from the public.If extradited and found guilty in the U.S. courts, McKinnon could face up to 70 years in prison and fines of up to $1.75 million USD.McKinnon does not deny the charges that he gained administrator rights and accessed the listed systems, even saying that he used a program called 'Remotely Anywhere', which is similar to 'PC Anywhere' in terms of scope and functionality."I got caught because I was using a graphical remote control tool and I forgot what timezone I was in," McKinnon said shortly after his arrest. "Somebody was in the office when I was moving the mouse around."According to what amount to mostly rumors in the press, U.S. prosecutors have offered McKinnon a four-year sentence if he pleads guilty to the charges; if he doesn’t, then they will push for the full 70-year sentence.

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Sandy RodgersAug 15th, 2008 - 11:48:58

My real name.
I know nothing of Mr McKinnon.
It does seem that hacking is possible. If a service uses a system known to be open to hakers then they are using a system that is not secure. How can anyone be tried for terrorism for gaining access to an accessable system?

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danAug 17th, 2008 - 12:53:35

There weren't even any passwords on the machines mckinnon 'hacked'. They were wide open to the internet.

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JohnnoAug 17th, 2008 - 16:04:16

Unfortunately, I've not much sympathy with Mr McKinnon. He knew what he was doing and knew that it was illegal and that it could provoke a ferocious response. That the U.S. systems were unsecured is stupid and their fault but I'll bet you'd still want a burglar prosecuted if you went out and forgot to lock the door to your home, wouldn't you?

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DavidSep 14th, 2008 - 16:43:05

Actually if I forgot to lock the door and someone robbed me I would feel as though it was my fault and hope my insurance covered what was taken. I brought that upon myself.

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melSep 20th, 2008 - 22:55:31

frankly i agree that with no firewall or anything
like that its like opening the door to your home
and going on vaction, for the weekend they would
not haft to use a sleg-hammer or at least
that is what the local police will tell you.

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UFO hacker McKinnon granted U.S. extradition reprieve

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