Gary McKinnon

[scotman]

Just heard on TV news that Alan Johnson has declined to allow G McKinnon's appeal against extradition to US of A on computer hacking charges.
I think this is the correct decision. What do you all think?

[daffy654]

Ankou,I couldn't give a rat's a$$ what his nationlity or religion are. This is about the fact this man has Asperger Syndrome, if he were a British Muslim with Asperger Syndrome my views would be exactly the same as they are now.

[Quinlad]

I completely understand what you're saying, daffy.

But you seem to be suggesting that people on this site and more importantly the American judicairy are ignoring his Aspergers.

US courts understand what Aspergers is. US doctors do as well. What will happen is, doctors will be asked to ascertain to what extent his Aspergers affcted his understanding of what he did. Then that will be taken into consideration - it may mean he's not deemed to be responsible, it may be that he gets a much lighter sentence as a result. But the point is, it will be factored in.

It doesn't mean we should just drop the whole thing before any of that is assessed. Or do you think it does?

[Gromit]

daffy654

He was employed as a systems administrator.

http://en.wikipedia.o.../System_administrator

Have a look at the above link and see if you still think he was oblivious to the consequences of what he was doing.

[jno]

daffy, whether he understood the consequences of his actions is for the court to decide. They may find that he was a simpleton who's no threat to anyone - or they may decide that as he hacked into the US military (rather than say a town council site) that he's not so simple after all.

And while his mother may be distraught, maybe she should have got involved a bit earlier in explaining right and wrong to him?

[sp1814]

His actions cost the US Defence Department hundreds of thousands of dollars (apparently) putting their systems right (re-securing data isn't as straightforward as you might think).

If he didn't have Aspergers, would everyone be okay with his extradition? I honestly don't know where I stand on this story.

I kinda have sympathy for him because I bet in a million years he didn't think that what he was doing could result in these actions...but then again, I think - he's not a fool...he understands what computer hacking is, and there's been a number of high profile cases in the past decade...I dunno.

[Booldawg]

He was described as being 'slightly austisic' Not sure how they gauge or measure autisim but you can be assured his defence council will be letting the disability do the talking.

[anotheoldgit]

I didn't ever think I would say this but, had he had been a Muslim, do you think his excuse of "only researching UFOs" or suffering an autistic disorder would cut any ice?.

No there would be many terrorist conspiracy theories banded about, and calls for him to be locked up and the key thrown away.

The thing I don't like about this affair is the fact that the US snaps it's fingers and we are only too willing to throw one of our citizens to the dogs, whereas they don't give up their citizens so easily.

[Gromit]

In several interviews, he has said he was smoking a lot of dope when these incidents took place. That may have had more of a bearing on his alleged lack of awareness to what he was doing than slight autism.

[Ankou]

dear me. i agree with aog.

[daffy654]

Quinlad,the US has a proven track record of not taking into account conditions such as Aspergers when trying people in courts of law. Google the name William Cottrell.

Gromit,people with Asperger Syndrome are not 'educationally subnormal',some are,but many are classed as genius' in many fields of academia.The fact that Gary McKinnon was employed as a systems analyst does not surprise me in the least. My own 12 year old son who has Asperger Syndrome could probably teach you a thing or two about history,he has certainly told his history teachers things that they didn't know beforehand but have since verified as being facts.

I am not advocating that Mr McKinnon get off scot free for his crime,I just don't trust the US judicial system to treat him fairly and take into account his Asperger Syndrome.

[vulcan]

The Americans are totally embarrassed by this and are just looking for a scapegoat.Being Americans they would have spent millions of dollars on having the best equipment installed.[remember the money spent on the space pen when the Russians used a pencil ?]
They cannot accept that this state of the art equipment has been breached so easily. but instead of asking questions internally ie "how competent were the manufactures" and "which department tested and bought it" ? they are determined to to prosecute a person who could be an asset to them.
If you don't want your house burgled who is the person to ask for advice ?

[cazzz1975]

my son has autism and at age 10 can beat me hands down on a computer, yet he can barely string a sentence together and wears a nappy.

mckinnons superior ability on a computer may be one thing, doing other things may emphasise his difficulties, I do think though however that for someone on the spectrum to be smoking dope is a recipe for disaster.

[Ankou]

apparently he left this message on one of the pooters....

"us foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism these days? It was not a mistake that there was a huge security stand-down on september 11 last year...I am SOLO. I will continue to disrupt at the highest levels.”

but don't worry, marillion are organising a free garry mckinnon benefit concert.

[chelle7272]

I agree with daffy wholehartedly. There is a real lack of understanding of Aspergers on this thread, and it seems a real lack of even bothering to find out before judging. The people that are so sure his condition will be taken into account at a US trial, why do you believe others will do what you obviously have not?

[daffy654]

Ankou,I have a policy of not taking 100% seriously quotes that begin with the word 'apparently'. Anyone could have put that statement on the system (if it was even there) and claimed someone else had done it. If Mr.McKinnon confesses to leaving that message then I will believe it.

[Ankou]

we only have the media to tell us whats going on.

they will have the actual evidence.

[jno]

I don't make any claim to understand Asperger's. I just don't think people who have it should be exempt from the law. I'm not saying he should be found guilty and executed, only that he should face trial for his actions.

[daffy654]

I doubt very much that the media has actual trial evidence Ankou,unless some unscrupulous US lawyer has deliberately leaked it to the UK press agencies.