Network Security News

UFO hacker McKinnon still fighting extradition to U.S.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Gary McKinnon, a British man accused of hacking into the computer systems of the U.S. military and NASA, has lost another legal battle fighting his extradition to the U.S. to face criminal charges.

McKinnon, who claimed he was searching for secret evidence of UFOs and meant no harm, sought to join a High Court appeal by another UK man fighting extradition to the U.S. That appeal was rejected, IDG News reported.

Karen Todner, McKinnon's defense attorney, said Friday that she may take McKinnon's case to the European Court of Human Rights, which rejected hearing his case last year.

Todner said that extradition would leave McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism, vulnerable to mental breakdown or perhaps suicide.

"Gary is clearly someone who is not equipped to deal with the American penal system and there is clear evidence that he will suffer a severe mental breakdown if extradited," Todner said back in July, after a previous court hearing.

U.S. authorities say McKinnon, 42, compromised the network security of the Army, Air Force, Navy and NASA and caused close to $1 million in damages. He could face up to 70 years in prison in the U.S.