A British court on Wednesday recommended that Briton Gary McKinnon, who allegedly hacked into United States defence computer systems, be extradited to the US to stand trial for what has been called the ”biggest military hack of all time”.
His case is expected to be passed to Home Secretary John Reid for a final decision following the recommendation by District Judge Nicholas Evans.
Speaking outside Bow Street Magistrates’ Court in central London, McKinnon expressed concern he would be tried in the US state of Virginia, ”which is famously conservative. I am practically hung and quartered over there.”
He said he would appeal any decision approved by the home secretary. McKinnon (40) wearing a suit and tie, denied having causing the alleged damage to the US system, saying it was impossible for one person to bring down an entire network.
McKinnon’s lawyer has argued that he could be sent to Guantanamo Bay if extradited.
But the US government said it had given assurances to the British government that it would not make McKinnon subject to ”military order number one” which allows the US president to detain suspects indefinitely.
Using software available for download on the internet, McKinnon allegedly hacked into computer networks operated by Nasa, the US army, US navy, Department of Defence and the US air force from 2001 to 2002.
McKinnon was indicted in November 2002 by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia on seven counts of computer fraud and related activity, the US justice department said on its website.
If extradited and found guilty, McKinnon faces on each count a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250 000 fine, the website said.
According to the indictment, between March of 2001 and March of 2002, McKinnon accessed and damaged without authorisation 92 computers belonging to the US army, navy, air force, department of defence and Nasa (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and six computers belonging to a number of private businesses, the justice department said.
Ultimately, McKinnon caused a network in the Washington DC area to shut down, resulting in the total loss of internet access and e-mail service to approximately 2 000 users for three days, the indictment charged.
The estimated loss to the various military organisations, Nasa and the private businesses was approximately $900 000 dollars, it said. – AFP