McKinnon family awaits final, final extradition decision
May might act
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Supporters of Gary McKinnon are anxiously awaiting a Cabinet Office decision on whether the coalition government will halt his extradition proceedings.
While in opposition, cabinet ministers (most notably Nick Clegg and Dominic Grieve, the new attorney general) supported the campaign against the extradition of the Asperger's sufferer to the US. McKinnon was first arrested by UK police in 2002 over attacks on US military systems back in 2001.
But extradition proceedings only began in 2005, after a controversial extradition treaty between the UK and US came into effect.
A judicial review - the latest in a long series of legal challenges in the case - was due to take place next week (May 25 and 26). The hearing before senior judges would have considered whether former Home Secretary Alan Johnson acted fairly in disregarding medical opinion of McKinnon's mental health in allowing extradition proceedings to continue.
However, in a significant development, McKinnon's lawyers have written to the court requesting the cancellation of this hearing pending a Cabinet Office ruling in the case, expected to arrive as soon as Thursday.
Gary's mum, Janis Sharp, told El Reg: "We're waiting to hear from the Cabinet Office and expect to hear something tomorrow.
"In the meantime Karen [Todner, McKinnon's solicitor] has written to cancel the court hearing which was due to take place on the 25 and 26 May, so I don't think that's going ahead now. We won't know for sure until we have a statement from the Cabinet Office tomorrow."
Last week Todner wrote to new Home Secretary, Theresa May, asking her to "intervene and prevent the extradition of McKinnon to the US".
In a statement on these lobbying efforts, Todner explained: "We hope the new Conservative Liberal government will act upon previous public statements that it would be unjust to extradite McKinnon."
It's not altogether clear whether a ruling on the case will arrive on Thursday or even which government department will handle it. A Cabinet Office spokesman referred our initial inquiries on the matter to the Home Office.
McKinnon admits hacking into unsecured US military systems in a search for evidence of supposed UFO encounters but denies claims that he caused tens of thousands of dollars of damage in the process.
His supporters have called on authorities to try McKinnon in the UK, if anywhere, during a long-running campaign that has steadily gained the support of a diverse alliance of politicians, musicians, actors and other public figures. ®
COMMENTS
Re: So lets say....
If I have to read one more fuckforsaken, erroneous analogy about burglary in reference to this or anything, I swear I'll do time.
but do you get...
that the US are making false claims with which to prosecute him?
Mainly, that the US left all their doors wide open, but are claiming "damage and replacement of all doors and locking mechanisms thereof".
If they were charging him simply with entering a classified system, then fair enough. However that on it's own wouldn't be enough to extradite him from the UK. Instead the US have come up with a clearly fraudulent claim for damages caused, that just happens to match the figure required for him to be extradited.
The US is outright lying, but people from the US seem to be intent on ignoring this simple fact.
The only thing physically damaged was uncle sams pride.
Clearly Open and Shut Case?
Err .... As the US is known to torture suspects, surely yesterday's ruling under the Human Rights Act re the Al Qaeda terrorists/operatives/wannabes who were not deported and are allowed to stay in Great Britain .... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7130645.ece ..... must clearly mean that Gary McKinnon cannot be sent to Uncle Sam?
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