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UK hacker loses extradition fight | UK hacker loses extradition fight |
(10 minutes later) | |
A British man has lost his High Court fight against extradition to the US for allegedly carrying out the "biggest military computer hack of all time". | A British man has lost his High Court fight against extradition to the US for allegedly carrying out the "biggest military computer hack of all time". |
Glasgow-born Gary McKinnon, of north London, is accused of gaining access to 97 US military and Nasa computers. | |
Home Secretary John Reid granted the US request to extradite him for trial. | Home Secretary John Reid granted the US request to extradite him for trial. |
At the High Court in London, his lawyers argued the 41-year-old had been subjected to "improper threats" and the move would breach his human rights. | |
His lawyers had argued that, if extradited, he would face an unknown length of time in pre-trial detention, with no likelihood of bail. | His lawyers had argued that, if extradited, he would face an unknown length of time in pre-trial detention, with no likelihood of bail. |
He would also face a long prison sentence - "in the region of 45 years" - and may not be allowed to serve part of the sentence at home in the UK, his lawyers had said. | |
We will certainly be applying for this court to certify a point of law of public importance and to grant leave Ben CooperRepresenting Gary McKinnon Profile: Gary McKinnon | |
But, on Tuesday, Lord Justice Maurice Kay and Mr Justice Goldring dismissed his legal challenge, saying they could not find any grounds for appeal. | |
Ben Cooper, for Mr McKinnon, said his client would now seek to make an appeal against his extradition at the House of Lords. | |
Alleged threats by US authorities, including one from New Jersey prosecutors that "he would fry", would be among issues raised, Mr Cooper said. | |
"We will certainly be applying for this court to certify a point of law of public importance and to grant leave," he said. | |
Mr McKinnon had been suffering from ill health during recent court hearings, he added. | |
Mr McKinnon has never denied that he accessed the computer networks of a wide number of US military institutions between February 2001 and March 2002. | Mr McKinnon has never denied that he accessed the computer networks of a wide number of US military institutions between February 2001 and March 2002. |
Mr McKinnon, arrested in November 2002, has always maintained that he was motivated by curiosity and that he only managed to get into the networks because of lax security. | Mr McKinnon, arrested in November 2002, has always maintained that he was motivated by curiosity and that he only managed to get into the networks because of lax security. |