Gary Mc Kinnon

[abstibus]

Teresa May has made her statement.
He will not be extradited.

[sandyRoe]

It seems that he has done the Pentagon a great favour. If their computer security was so lax that an individual could crack it, think what a dedicated team of Chinese hackers, with all the equipment and money they needed, might have done.

[Davethedog]

Can I ask why it’s good? He broke the law, and we only have his word about why, He and I quote "perpetuated biggest military computer hack of all time".
I agree the argument about the being prosecuted here holds water but the crime was perpetuated in the US.
The media's defence of this man has been reprehensible solely based on his Asperger’s.
Extradition has been denied only because of his human rights I wonder if Teresa May can spell hypocrite?

[Ric.ror]

I am just thinking how different the reaction to this is than the other extradition that took place last week

[wardlaw]

Good news. The US judiciary system is far too harsh IMHO for someone who needs help rather than punishment.

[Thatcherite]

Yes, the septics should hire him! He's obviously a lot better than their own "experts".

[ladybirder]

If Abu Hamza had pleaded he had Asbergers and would kill himself if extradited would the result be the same for him?

[EvianBaby]

Are Mckinnons and Hamzas crimes the same??

No.

[andy-hughes]

Howard - "I know nothing about that syndrome.
My point is that, without a conviction, no agency can compel him to modify his behaviour or even accept that anything he did was wrong."

Nothing like proving your own point is there?

As an Asperger's sufferer, this young man will not understand the concepts of right and wrong, or conviction and punishment, so to convict him would be an utter waste of tax payers' money.

Do a little research about the condition and see why your argument is simply not a valid course of action - or better still - read The Curious Case Of The Dog In The Night and get some insight into the condition itself.

[ummmm]

Asperger sufferers do tend to know right from wrong.

[youngmafbog]

So Andy. If anyone has Asperger's you are saying that convicting them is a waste of taxpayers money ?

To do what he did he cannot be stupid. He needs to be convicted if only to get the help he needs, as is being said here.

He should be tried here and if convicted given an appropriate sentence, even if it is correctional. This man is potentially dangerous. You are all having a good laugh because he hacked the septics. What if a Septic hacked our systems and people died because of it, would you all be so self congratulating then? or even if he goes and does it now he knows he will get away with it?

[jackthehat]

Did people die, YMB?

Or are you just getting a little bit hysterical..........again?

[Ric.ror]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...ngland-leeds-19951835

What should have happened to this man with aspergers?

[jno]

" I have concluded that Mr McKinnon's extradition would give rise to such a high risk of him ending his life that a decision to extradite would be incompatible with Mr McKinnon's human rights."

So he can't go to the US because he might commit suicide. That is a very strange argument, and I look forward to lots of defendants making it in British courts as a reason not to go to prison.

Good news, though: it only seems to works for white folk

http://en.wikipedia.o...Asperger.27s_syndrome

[pdq1]

The reason given is that more suspects should be tried in Britain if that where the crime was committed. I'd bet those suspected terrorists who went with Abi Hamza are screaming why did they send us to America when all they wanted was to be tried here.

[bazwillrun]

"Good news, though: it only seems to works for white folk "

ones that dont seem to want to blow us up, and hate everything we stand for, but are happy taking benefits etc etc

[sp1814]

sandyRoe

It seems that he has done the Pentagon a great favour. If their computer security was so lax that an individual could crack it, think what a dedicated team of Chinese hackers, with all the equipment and money they needed, might have done.

I question the logic behind that thought.

If you were burgled, would you think the burglar had done you a favour by showing up the failings in your home security system?

[sp1814]

annemollie

I find myself sitting on the fence with this case. I have no strong feelings one way or the other...however, I wonder why it's taken so long to get to this point?

I was about to write, "It's been something like five years since he was indicted", but then decided to check facts on Wikipedia. It's actually taken ten years to get to this decision.

That's way too long.

[sandyRoe]

SP1814, Well, not a favour exactly, but the thief would have demonstrated that my house was not as secure as I'd thought. I'd then take steps to remedy that.

[emmie]

good, however he could still be prosecuted here.

[birdie1971]

Clearly, McKinnon broke the law by hacking into these systems. Of that there is no doubt. But what harm did he really cause? According to the BBC, the Americans claim that he, “... caused $800,000 (£487,000) worth of damage to military computer systems...”. But what do they mean by 'damage'? It seems quite a loose term and one open to much interpretation when we're dealing with such ephemeral stuff as computer data.

More information from the Americans would help us clear up this very important matter. And that's the point. No specific information has been forthcoming – just accusations about some alleged 'damage'.

Did his crime warrant extradition? I rather doubt it but since the Americans have been so vague on the 'damage' he allegedly caused, we'll probably never know.