Gary McKinnon has appaeared on the BBC World Service radio programme "The Interview":
"This week 'The Interview' talks to the man described by US prosecutors as "the biggest military computer hack of all time". Briton Gary McKinnon stands accused of breaking and entering into US secret computer systems, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage, and effectively immobilising the military district of Washington DC for three days in 2002.He faces charges in the US which could lead to up to 70 years in jail. Speaking in his first broadcast interview just days before his extradition hearing, McKinnon considers his own sense of naïve wrong-doing, but also denies causing damage and says he was acting out of "humanitarian" motives. "
Listen to The Interview (requires Real Media)
jan
I just listened to The Interview and Gary comes across as very clever as well as very naive. Tell me this; how come Gary can't even fix out our emails or even sometimes silly little faults in our computer. He couldn't even fix our firewall.
I'm Gary's mum and the US internet security must have been nil for Gary to be able to wander through their system. The fact that they didn't even have firewalls and had blank passwords is criminal.
Gary is a naive dreamer. He is thirty nine going on fifteen and if Gary could saunter throught the systems of the planets biggest super power; God help the planet!
The fact that there are still hackers apparently inside the US system on a regular basis is terrifying.
The US government should thank Gary for exposing the incredible weakness in their security.
Gary's crime is very obviously that he has embarassed the US military. Is causing embarassment a crime?
Does causing embarassment make you deserve a seventy year prison sentence?
The crime lies with the people who were responsible for the internet security of the world's biggest super power.
As someone else suggested;Please give Gary a Presidential Pardon. Let us see the compassionate side of the worlds biggest super power.
Gary is a really nice human being who has learned his lesson big time. He didn't do the damage claimed; he's just watched too many episodes of Star Trek.
Please Free our son or let him be tried in our own country.
Jan
comingfrom
I just heard the interview myself.
I'm in full support for Gary.
But you must realize Jan.
The people he embarrassed drop bombs on babies and innocent people for personal gain.
Hearing this story has cetainly put a bomb under me, and I shall be doing whatever I can to help him and also to expose what he discovered to the world.
I was already aware of much but he has confirmed for me.
Trust in Lord, He is with the righteous.
Paul
Thomas Riley
I just listened to the interview. It is probably not smart to go on and do these interviews, since they will be turned against him in the worst way. Look at how Adrian was handled.
One word: Honeypot.
Thomas Riley
Re: Garys Mom.
What garry did was illegal. The act of accessing a goverment computer without authorization is explicitly prohibited by the law in the US. Furthermore, he did cause damage -- even by his own admission. The systems would have had to be re-installed, and also the cost of investigations. Gary did more then 'just look' on the system. He admits to that in the interview -- he created documents on the harddrive and desktops of systems.
What he has done in this interview has signed his conviction in the united states. I fully expect he will be extridited, largely in part because of the close relationship between the US and UK -- and also in light of the 'post 07-07-05 world'.
Take a lesson from kevin mitnick, don't piss off the authorities more then you have -- or things will only get worse. He could have had a shorter sentance, and done easier time -- but his ego and his supporters hurt him by backing the US govt into a corner that they had to throw the book at him.
comingfrom
re: Thomas Riley
What the US govt is doing is illegal, by a higher law than them.
The creator of that law has used Gary for all our benefit.
The only thing he has forced them to do was set a password and install security software, which they should have done in the first place.
Leaving a couple of files on their system is no harm but notifies the system administrators of their incompetence.
Yes, now their right eyes are offended.
Now they shall commit an offence by their right hand.
`Paul
Brian
Thank you for all the excel documents, I still cant believe that we didn't go to the moon! thats crazy insane!! Also, who would of known that Cat Stevin's shot JFK! So odd..!! Also thanks for the info about 9/11.. I had no idea it the goverment added that stuff to our water supply! So weird!.. Technology is insane! Do you ever think that stuff you told me about "Angry Eagle" will ever go into play?
Well Gary, good luck to you.. look at the bright side, when you get out Hilary Clinton will be president.. word on the street is, she is going to blur out Ms Pacman's Bow...yeah, it will be more annoying in the free world.
Peace.
Paul
Brian, I pray you get those demons of cynicism, confusion and deceit out. And the rest of them.
Then you will be able to mean peace, when you say it.
Lord's peace be on you.