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Gary McKinnon...

Reply 160

dn013

14

Terryw

New developments:
Link

Excuse the source :ninja:

If it can be proven that Mckinnon is likely to commit suicide if extradited then I am sure the US will call off the extradition.

Reply 161

River85

17

Jadel_L

I think i'm probably going to be the only one who agrees with this.

Why should he be allowed to get away with it just because he has aspergers? If it was someone else without a disability you would probably all be saying that he should face trial over there, so why should it be any different for him?

I don't know him. I can't say this is the case. But people with Asperger's often have obsessive interests. It's possible that he became so obsessed and driven by it that he didn't really see the consequences of the action.

I don't think anyone is saying, "oh, let's not throw him in jail because he's got a disability". If he was guilty of a serious crime, say he was a genuine terrorist threat, peoples attitude may be different. I think RK touched on it

RK

The other is that is I seriously doubt his disability/problems will be fairly considered and looked in to at a trial in the US. Not to mention the whole idea of being sent over there will be seriously bad for him.

Which is the cocern.

There are a few issues here.

1. Does the potential punishment (up to 70 years in a tough prison) fit the crime? Dose he really pose a threat?

2. The health risks. He does have Asperger's, this can't be denied. As I said, no one is saying "oh, let's not throw him in jail. He's got a disability after all". That's a very patronising attitude. What they are saying is that he's at a greater risk of mental health problems including suicide and there's a great fear that he won't receive the medical care and attention he needs. After all, being sent to prison will certainly cause mental illness (or exacerberate any current illness). Will his Asperger's be taken into account during the trial as it's an obvious mitigating factor? I doubt it, given how ignorant many people are about Austism (including Asperger's).

3. Why can't our government stand up for its own citizens and show some backbone? Yes, we have a treaty. But its purpose was for murderers, terrorists and the like. Not a man who has an obsessive interest in UFOs and thought the US government was covering something up so wanted "the truth". His intentions were not malicious.

This has probably already been mentioned. It's a long thread, but thought I'd just chip in :p:

Reply 162

Moroseblight

It would be ridiculous if he really was extradited. I hope the Home Secretary steps in to stop this travesty of justice.

Reply 163

road

pinkpenguin

keep laughing and do nothing while Britons including you could be extradited to the USA

Reply 164

Nick_000

16

Am I the only one who doesn't buy the whole "ill man looking for UFO's" story he and his family are trying to show?

"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" - This is one message he allegedly left.

He is very intelligent and clearly knew what he was doing? Yes, the US is treating the case very severely but if you look at the damage he is alleged to have caused, isn't this understandable?

Why the huge fuss from the media? If this had been a Muslim doing the same crime, I have no doubt he would have been labelled a terrorist.

Someone explain?

He hacked into NASA, and apparently had a look at a confidential picture. He was then caught, and now the US want to punish him severely to scare other hackers from doing something similar. He didn't cause any damage though.

Reply 167

fire2burn

17

The US wants to make an example out of him because they're unable to extradite the real criminals who cause damage from Russia and China which refuse to extradite their citizens to the States.

Reply 168

NDGAARONDI

16

In a way he's treated as a victim in the press because of the one-sided nature of the extradition treaty. Have we had any extradition requests from America? I struggle to think of any.

Reply 169

thunder_chunky

19

punktopia

Yes, I'd rather he went unpunished.

In fact, he should be given a damned medal for making the Americans look like even bigger morons than usual.

Well firstly people are talking about America and their penal system like it's a third world country with third world penal systems. Dark dungeons that never see light with only bread and water to eat.

They do have various forms of detention and penal area's, even if he was found guilty and sentenced, doesn't mean he will automatically be thrown into the lions den.

Nevertheless my second and main point is that I don't think he should go unpunished. Whilst it obviously looks bad giving someone with Aspergers a full punishment, he still broke the law and even if it's in this country I think he should do a bit of time.

And I don't mean 60 years which I think is the maximum in the states, perhaps a decade at most.

Reply 170

NDGAARONDI

16

RK

Terrible news.

Good thing is that it looks like he can still appeal. Just hope that he wins the appeal and can stand trial here in the UK.

It's bad for two reasons if he is sent to the US - one that is sets a dangerous precident for what you do online - do something online from your own home and it opens the door for any country in the world who doesn't like what you do or any country in which a computer you interact with is located to ask for you to be sent to them for trial.

The other is that is I seriously doubt his disability/problems will be fairly considered and looked in to at a trial in the US. Not to mention the whole idea of being sent over there will be seriously bad for him.

I wouldn't mind Bernie Maddoff being stood for trial here for causing a suicide by corporate deeds but no such law exists. This, however, does stress the global nature of crime and that even if such a law existed in this country, our request for extradition would be neglected anyway. Have we ever had a successful extradition of a hacker or something similar ourselves? :confused:

Reply 171

NDGAARONDI

16

thunder_chunky

Well firstly people are talking about America and their penal system like it's a third world country with third world penal systems. Dark dungeons that never see light with only bread and water to eat.

He might be sent to a supermax prison?

Reply 172

punktopia

3

thunder_chunky

Well firstly people are talking about America and their penal system like it's a third world country with third world penal systems. Dark dungeons that never see light with only bread and water to eat.

They do have various forms of detention and penal area's, even if he was found guilty and sentenced, doesn't mean he will automatically be thrown into the lions den.

Nevertheless my second and main point is that I don't think he should go unpunished. Whilst it obviously looks bad giving someone with Aspergers a full punishment, he still broke the law and even if it's in this country I think he should do a bit of time.

And I don't mean 60 years which I think is the maximum in the states, perhaps a decade at most.

Haha, oh dear. I really hope you're just trolling.

Reply 173

ParadoxSocks

22

NDGAARONDI

In a way he's treated as a victim in the press because of the one-sided nature of the extradition treaty. Have we had any extradition requests from America? I struggle to think of any.

I think the BBC said there's been 27 cases since the treaty was put in place.

I think somebody needs to step in to help him. It's pretty clear they're doing it to make an example of him because they can't actually get hold of anyone worth going after.

Reply 174

René Artois

6

Im sure the US government havent even provided evidence of the damage hes done, it just mysteriously totals the limit where its required to extradite him. Theyre just trying to make an example out of him, thats what people object to.

Reply 175

gummers

13

GoblinSoul

He didn't cause any damage what-so-ever. The alleged cost of his break-in was the money they used to see what he had damaged, which was non existent.

The method he used to gain access to their system was a default administrator password.

I thought it was blank passwords?
:smile:

Reply 176

thunder_chunky

19

NDGAARONDI

He might be sent to a supermax prison?

I don't know what the possibilities are if he ends up going to the US and if he is found guilty.
Based on his aspergers the judge might not put him in a mainstream prison or maybe he will, the risk is there though.

punktopia

Haha, oh dear. I really hope you're just trolling.

No I'm not trolling. Just because he has aspergers I don't think he should get off. He broke the law.

However, If it is found that he was not aware or if he did not do it on purpose, then perhaps a suspended sentence might be best.

Reply 177

Mad Vlad

19

gummers

I thought it was blank passwords?
:smile:

Exactly - unless you specify an admin password, it's blank.

Reply 178

René Artois

6

randdom

Murderers don't even really serve that.

Murderers dont threaten national security either. Theres always much more severe punishments for things like this, because the consequences will affect more people.

Reply 179

punktopia

3

thunder_chunky

I don't know what the possibilities are if he ends up going to the US and if he is found guilty.
Based on his aspergers the judge might not put him in a mainstream prison or maybe he will, the risk is there though.

No I'm not trolling. Just because he has aspergers I don't think he should get off. He broke the law.

However, If it is found that he was not aware or if he did not do it on purpose, then perhaps a suspended sentence might be best.

Who cares? The law isn't beyond reform. There's a lot of stupid, stupid laws out there. Again - I think he should be rewarded, not punished. And the Americans should sort out their online security... allowing themselves to be humilated by a random guy with Asperger's... how embarrassing for them.

Gary McKinnon...

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