Daily Mail: Terror law boss backs Gary McKinnon's fight: New support for Asperger's victim facing extradition

There is strong support for Gary McKinnon's case to be tried here in the United Kingdom, made by the eminent lawyer, former Liberal Democrat MP, and Independent Reviewer of this Labour Government's anti-terrorism legislation, Rt. Hon. Lord Carlile of Berriew QC,

Why it would be cruel not to put Gary McKinnon on trial in Britain

By Lord Carlile
Last updated at 11:24 PM on 05th July 2009

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As a Parliamentarian with involvement in the law and an interest in human rights, I have twice written to successive Home Secretaries to urge that Gary be tried in Britain.
Lord Carlile warns that the decision to prosecute Gary in the U.S. would be 'cruel and unconscionable'

The medical evidence favours this overwhelmingly. If necessary, he could survive prison here without his life being wrecked beyond repair. The Government has argued that it cannot prevent the extradition as a matter of law, and has no discretion in the case.

However, it is wrong. According to the law, an offence can be tried in England and Wales, provided the conduct or its consequences took place in England and Wales.

Gary McKinnon's conduct was in England. He can be tried in England.

Like so many legal issues, the solution adopts common sense as the benchmark. To sum up, where there is an offence in the home country of the offender, there is an option for the home country to bring the malefactor to justice either by prosecution or by extradition.

So the Home Secretary is perfectly free to decide that Gary McKinnon should be tried and, should the necessity arise, be sentenced here in Britain. He can choose.

The choice in at least three other cases of hacking into U.S. computer systems has been for the trials to be held in the UK. Similarly, several fraud cases that could have been tried in the U.S. or the UK have been tried here

[...]

A further article in today's Daily Mail:

Terror law boss backs Gary McKinnon's fight: New support for Asperger's victim facing extradition

lists some more eminent supporters of Gary McKinnon:

  • Nick Hornby - award winning author
  • Barry Norman - film critic
  • Jilly Cooper - author
  • Trevor Baylis - inventor
  • Lord Clement Jones of Clapham - Chairman of the All Party Autism Group
  • Alan Simpson MP- Labour
  • Dr. Vincent Cable MP - Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesman
  • Norman Baker MP - Liberal Democrat
  • Tim Loughton MP - Conservative Children;s Spokesman and Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group on Autism.
  • Peter Kilfoyle MP - Labour former Defence Minister
  • Lord Morris of Manchester - Labour
  • Dr. Dawn Heath - Psychologist
  • Mark Lever - Chief Executive, National Autistic Society