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Hacker faces extradition to America within weeks
Paul Cheston, Evening Standard28 Aug 2008
A computer geek who hacked into top secret US military networks will be extradited to America within a fortnight to face trial after he lost his last-ditch legal appeal.
Gary McKinnon, 42, asked the European Court of Human Rights to stay his extradition pending an appeal to the court but his application was refused.
Solicitor Karen Todner said her client was "distraught" and called on Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to intervene.
Mr McKinnon, of Wood Green, claimed he was looking for UFO files but lost appeals in the High Court last year and the House of Lords last month.
The unemployed systems analyst, who argued that the extradition was a breach of his human rights, admitted to gaining access to 97 US Navy, Army, Nasa and Pentagon computers from the bedroom of his girlfriend's aunt's house.
But he says he was motivated by curiosity and only got in because of lax security.
The US government says he stole passwords and deleted files. He faces up to 70 years in a federal "supermax" prison if found guilty.
Ms Todner said: "He and his family are distraught. He is terrified by the prospect of going to America. This was their last chance."
