• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Disabled ‘hacker’ launches two new bids to avoid extradition to US

Disabled ‘hacker’ launches two new bids to avoid extradition to US

By guest on 23rd June 2009 Category: News Archive

Listen

Alleged Pentagon hacker Gary McKinnon has launched two new legal bids to avoid being extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible prison sentence of 60 years in a maximum security prison.
McKinnon, from north London, who was only diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in August 2008, faces a trial for allegedly hacking into US defense department computer systems.
Because of the late diagnosis, a judicial review in June was the first time his impairment had been considered by a court.
His legal team argued that extradition would have a severe effect on his mental health and that he should be tried in the UK instead.
Home Office lawyers have argued that extradition would be justified because of the serious charges he faces.
But while they wait for a decision on the first judicial review, McKinnon’s legal team are also due in court in July to apply for a second judicial review.
This would challenge the decision not to have him prosecuted in the UK under the Computer Misuse Act.
His supporters believe this would give him a chance of a fairer trial than in the US, and, if found guilty, a fairer prison sentence, to be served in the UK.
The National Autistic Society (NAS), which has campaigned against his extradition, appealed to supporters to contact their MPs in a bid to exert pressure on the new home secretary, Alan Johnson.
An NAS petition on the prime minister’s website, that called on him to protect McKinnon and other people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome from extradition, secured more than 4,300 signatures.
The charity believes McKinnon will be too far from the support network of friends and family he needs if he is extradited and imprisoned.
Janis Sharp, McKinnon’s mother, said: “Since his diagnosis with Asperger’s syndrome last year, the NAS has backed our pleas that his extradition should be reconsidered in the light of his condition.
“We desperately hope that the government listens to all those who have lent their support and realises what we all know: that to extradite Gary to the USA would be disproportionate, wrong and potentially life-threatening.”
June

Share this post:

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on Reddit

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

Image shows a man wearing glasses sitting by an open laptop The text reads: Free Career Support for Disabled People Our services include: 1-2-1 Coaching Online Career Resources Find Support near you Search for Inclusive Jobs Career Events and Workshops Visit the Evenbreak Career Hive today to find out how we can help you

Access

Latest Stories

Grenfell: Call for action over government’s ‘deplorable’ decision on evacuation plans

‘Severely neglected’ man found dead, three months after DWP assessment

Government brands DNS ‘vexatious’ for trying to obtain info on 90 DWP deaths

Government’s ‘milestone’ disability jobs stats ‘are meaningless when it comes to equality’

Concern over offensive LGBT+ comments at access awards event

Universal credit boss defends years of misleading information

Discrimination could be a cause of increased risk of Covid death, says ONS

Access to Work in crisis as figures show ‘massive’ waiting-list

Queen’s speech: Activists’ message to Patel over new protest bill: ‘We fight on’

Queen’s speech: Six bills that may change disabled people’s lives, for better and for worse

Advice and Information

The Department for Work and Pensions: Deaths, cover-up, and a toxic 30-year legacy

Readspeaker

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2022 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web