Network Security News

Lawyer for UK national: Extradition for hacking could cause suicide

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

An attorney for a British man indicted for hacking into the U.S. military's computer networks in 2002 told the UK High Court that extradition to the U.S. could result in psychosis and suicide because of his mental illness.

Gary McKinnon, the 42-year-old man U.S. authorities say broke into the networks of the Army, Air Force, Navy, NASA and other sensitive computers, was diagnosed last August with Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. His attorney, family and supporters say he should be tried in the UK.

The National Autistic Society, a UK advocacy group, has petitioned the British government to keep McKinnon in the UK, based on his condition.

The group says his late diagnosis meant his mental condition - which can cause obsessive behaviors - was not considered in legal proceedings prior to last August. His extradition was ordered in October by the British home secretary.

The indictment alleges that McKinnon scanned a large number of computers in the .mil network to access computers and obtain administrative privileges.

The indictment said McKinnon caused a network in the Washington D.C. area to shut down for three days and caused close to $1 million in damages. He could face up to 70 years in prison in the U.S.