Labour government Home Secretary Alan Johnson appears to be trying to wash his hands of Gary McKinnon:
The Daily Telegraph reports:
Gary McKinnon set to be sent to America after Alan Johnson says he cannot block extradition
Exclusive: Gary McKinnon is set to be sent to America to answer computer hacking charges after Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, told his family that he could not block his extradition on medical grounds.
By Christopher Hope and Andrew Porter
Published: 6:45PM GMT 26 Nov 2009Mr McKinnon's family were notified of the Home Secretary's decision this afternoon. Janis Sharp, Mr McKinnon's mother, was distraught, telling The Daily Telegraph: "I can't believe it. It is a complete nonsense."
Last month Mr Johnson threw a lifeline to Mr McKinnon, who suffers from a form of autism, with a promise to examine new medical evidence "very carefully" before deciding on his extradition last month.
However in an emailed letter to Mrs Sharp, Mr Johnson is understood to have said that a decision to block the extraditon of Mr McKinnon was not in his control.
However, as Alan Johnson himself mentioned in front of the Home Affairs Committee, there may well be another attempt by Gary McKinnon's legal team to interest the European Court of Human Rights in this case
[...]
Mr McKinnon's lawyers can either seek a fresh emergency judicial review of Mr Johnson's decision at the High Court within the next seven days or appeal to the European Court of Human Rights within the next 14 days.
[...]
Tonight, Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, said:
".... Finally, should Mr McKinnon be extradited, charged and convicted in the US and seek repatriation to the UK to serve a custodial sentence, the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity.
[...]
"I know there is a concern on all sides to see a conclusion to these proceedings. It is now open to Mr McKinnon's lawyer to consider their legal options. As a consequence I do not propose to comment any further."
Note Johnson's use of the words "the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity", trying to pretend that he somehow cares for Gary or his family, friends or supporters.
His final words imply that the case is again sub judice, but they are just as likely to be an excuse to avoid answering any questions about his own handling of the case, before the forthcoming General Election.
i am so sorry i just read the news today. i have been following this story for a bit and no matter what he did i don't think he deserves this. the american justice system is harsh i could go alot further then that but i won't and i am a american but not a very proud one today. In fact i am furious at my government for insisting on this.
Ashley
I think it is disgraceful that Gary is being forced to stand trial. He should be hailed a hero, and in the coming years I am sure he will be remembered as being one of those willing to search for the truth and revealing it. I recently viewed the national press conference organised by Steven Greer and there is clearly no doubt based on the evidence of numerous witnesses from military and govt personnel that the free energy source that Gary uncovered is being deliberately kept secret to benefit only a few. I would suggest that he runs but if Gary chooses to go before the courts in America you should ensure all the witnesses that Dr Greer has documented are called to give witness and use this opportunity to publicly expose these secrets operations and reveal the truth. Maybe this was Gary's purpose to expose the truth and if the hearing is in the public domain he actually has a shot at breaking the secrecy once and for all. My best wishes to go out to him and his family and I am sending you support and best wishes for your journey in the future.
Human Rights violation in my opinion. Take it to the next level. We support you Gary - don't give up. Be strong. This is not over...
"Tonight, Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, said:
".... Finally, should Mr McKinnon be extradited, charged and convicted in the US and seek repatriation to the UK to serve a custodial sentence, the Government will of course progress his application at the very earliest opportunity."
The Virtual Processing of such an Application now would Preclude Judicious Review for Order of a Subjective Judgement..... Sensible Decision
Extradition Denied in the Light of New Sub Judice Information and Beta Phormed IntelAIgents. Virtual UFOs.
Gone Phishing .... with Spineless Worms, Sharks'Chum.
The Office of CyberIntelAIgent Security would just be obliged and duty bound to say ...
Posted Friday 27th November 2009 05:56 GMT
"Johnson has decided that the extradition would not contravene McKinnon's human rights, and he had no "general discretion" to intervene in the case."
Methinks the Assault against his Free Will Opposition to the Hand Over would warrant a Mr Christian Bounty, in a Popular Swell Shell Intervention, Homely Secretary.
McKinnon Say No. He Say Yes. They say Why, for it contravenes McKinnons human rights to Protest at Errors of Judgement in Supreme Natural Justice in further contravention of Higher Laws in the Common Sense of Man in the Virtual Machinery Age.
Progress then is Drivered by AIRemote Robots Pioneering NIRobotIQ Pure Logic Circuits .....for Media to Present as the Future deliverable Now to sweep away the Past and Begin the Global ReBuild Again ...and with Global Operating Devices Help, what cannot be done, with AI Broad Band Casting Global Mind Mine Memes into XSSXXXXStream CyberIntelAIgents .
I do find it odd that Uncle Sam's Alien Control Secrets are available online to Computers and Various Devices Plugged into the EtherNet Capturing All Base MetaData and they would draw public attention to the fact with the prosecution/persecution.
What are the Military doing anyway, bugging the Internet and hogging Bandwidth. Cyberspace has no cupboards for storage of secrets or stockpiling of weapons. Virtually Every Day is a Real ZerodDay Bonanza when in a Perfect Frame of Mind [with Deeply Mined Information and Highly Intelligent Analysis]
http://forums.theregister.co.uk/post/submit/2009/11/26/johnson_mckinnon/
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas are Novel Rules for Changes of Direction ..... with NeuReal Transparent TelePathy Channels .... AI Tributaries of Core Source Search Gene.
I was in tears watching GMTV today. It is disgusting the way the British government has treated Gary! As a mother of a 17 year old Asperger lad, I have every sympathy with the Mckinnon family. It is so easy for them to become interested and obsessed with a subject, without there ever being any malicious intent. The extradition and American sentencing is far far over the top. I'm just shocked that one individual could be hounded in this way!
Keep Fighting Mrs McKinnon for your Son , you are doing great!!!!We need anyone and everyone to fight this with you.I have a Son with Autism and know exactly where you are coming from.
What is it the Americans have got to fear, your son , even if he had any knowledge of what was on those computers would never be able to relay it to anyone , in a way they would understand. And he certainly would not be able to use it in any way it was meant.
OCD is part of autistic spectrum. God bless and keep on fighting. x
My eldest son suffers from Aspergers and I've first hand the many harmless obsessions he's developed over the years.
The US government should be ashamed of themselves, especially as I was under the impression that this administration was more "enlightened" then the previous one - obviously not.
I'm also frankly apalled by the way the Labour government has handled the whole affair.
Given that their founding principles were supposedly based on protecting the more vulnerable members of society this makes their decision even more apalling.
Please express my sympathies with the MacKinnon family and I hope that common sense and justice finally prevail.
This is an appalling decision. If Mr Johnson had ever gotten to known somebody with Aspergers he would realise what a mistake this is. Sending Gary McKinnon to the US to be torn apart by their legal hawks is simply morally wrong. I am ashamed to be British again.
I've read the extradition act myself and I was amazed, even though I'm not legally trained, at the paucity of the document.
I don't blame the US for this: it's no more than I expect of them. But I do blame the UK government for not properly protecting it's people against this sort of thing. If Gary has committed a crime at all then he committed it on UK territory and deserves a UK trial.
The US has no moral standing in the world in regard to fairness, justice, human rights or indeed common humanity.
its so sad to hear about gary .as a mother with a son with aspergers you have to live with it to understand the overwhelming obsessions they have which are not like hobbies they live breath and sleep them .my son is obsessed with fishing he can tell you what fish are in any lake in this country how big they are and when they were caught ect.if he new a govement building had a huge lake with big fish in and there was a hole in the fence he would go in nomatter what .i feel so deeply for his mother aspergers is such a hard thing to live with and over the years so many experts have dealt with my son ,but the real experts are the parents who have to live with this .to me and you this may be a crime but to gary this was obbsession due to aspergers .please tell me are we going to start punishing all our disabled people because its easy and there vunerable and they might not fit into our communities or are we going to protect them .
This is unbeleivable. Alan Johnson is a spineless wretch. It's a shame Gary isn't from a recognised minority because the government would be bending over backwards for him.
Disgusting!
This outcome is totally disgraceful. Has Britain finally become the next US State?
The American justice system will treat him like he was one of the 9/11 terrorists and apply their own form of justice to him. Why can't he be tried here in the UK?
Alan Johnson should hang his head in shame and I hope his constitents remember it when it comes to voting for him. Perhaps someone should start an ePetition to get him to resign?
I hope someone thinks again and stops this decision from being carried out.
Maybe, the US Government want Gary to check their systems because if it was so easy for him to get access they must be really worried now!
It serves him right for being a SMART ASS
As a UK Law Enforcement Officer who has had first hand experience of dealing with members of the American Secret Services, I have learned to treat anything presented by them as "evidence" with extreme caution and anything presented as "intelligence" as probably based on lies, innuendo, leaps of faith and wooly logic. Be that as it may, they don’t even have to tell the UK government what evidence they have against Gary, only what the charges are. The US seems very keen to make an example of someone and true to form have picked an easy and most vulnerable target.
The Scottish Government released a convicted mass murderer on compassionate grounds and I am very proud of that decision. I suspect if Kenny McCaskill was making the decision on Gary’s extradition he would reach very different conclusions.
The rest of the world already view the UK as a lap dog begging for scraps at the US table, eager to please in whatever way we can. The shameful actions of Alan Johnson simply augment this impression and I wish him sleepless nights, social disdain and political ignominy.
I hope this disgraceful decision will be reversed; I hope Gary and his family will try to stay positive and strong. You have my best wishes.
I think that this government needs to wake up and smell the roses, (British that is!)
It seems to me that it is alright to commit murder in this country, and God forbid, if you do then chances are you will be unfortunate to have to serve a life (What a laugh) sentence with the possibility of parole in six - eighteen years. But if you commit the sacrilege sin of robbery or intrusion then you are condemmed to hang.
As far as I am concerned, Alan Johnson has turned his back on one of his own countrymen and outcast him to be thrown to the lions. I think Mr Johnson should resign as he has clearly demonstrated how much, and how far, he is willing to go to support all that this once great nation believed in. ITS PEOPLE!
It makes my stomach churn to think that this government is powerless to intervine when the going gets tough, and as for the Americans, I think they are looking to make an example of Garry because of the 911 attacks and the flaws that were seen in their supposedly all powerful, inpenatrable security defence systems. Speaking of which, this is not the first time they have been infiltrated and my recollection is that the infiltrator at the time had his computer equipment confiscated and was sentenced to some community service or other with the promise of a job at NASA waiting for him when his sentence had been carried out and he had left school.
If there is anything to be gained from this incident of events then surely the British and American governing bodies should be able to get together and show not just the people of Britain, but the rest of the world also, that there really is a show of hands across the water and that we really are two nations that can dispute, argue and above all else agree in a democratic way together.
Just for once I wish that at least one of this God forsaken governments ministers would show some balls and stand up for one of his own countrymen.
This is not about justice. It's about USA being vindictive because they have been made to look like idiots. It's about our government being spineless.
They should thank their lucky stars he is not a terrorist and pay him a fee for highlighting the loopholes.
Chin up Gary and family. Lots of us are rooting for you!
This is a very very silly decision, ignoring the needs of a vulnerable young man, with a disability/health problems that are clear. Im bewildered that the UK government should go forward with something like this, it makes them look ignorant and ridiculous, why do they want that so close to an election?
This isnt something that people, should need to petition about, its 2009 not 1809, when children could be deported for stealing an apple (I may not have totally got my historical facts correct but you know what I mean)
Best wishes to Gary and his family,
cheers Rachel.
Other countries seem to bend over backwards to help their own citizens and certainly wouldn't dream of allowing them to be extradited anywhere else. Especially to somewhere that actively condones torture....
Why is Britain so useless at protecting it's own people from kidnap, extradition, repatriation you name it other countries all stick up for their own people.
This in an outrageous decision. When a government puts the interests of a foreign power over that of a vulnerable citizen then that government has lost all legitimacy to rule.
The US criminal justice is a brutal dark place. Up to 10% of inmates are raped or sexually assaulted. If any harm comes to Gary Mr Johnson must be held personally responsible.
If the last legal challenge to the extradition fails I think everyone involved should get Gary McKinnon into hiding until the Conservatives come to power and can cancel the extradition which Labour is failing to do. Unethical this suggestion of mine may be, however, against the fear of suicide of Gary and injustice on the part of a hostile USA who potentially could put Gary into prison for a long time out of revenge (rather than justice) I am sure most in Britain would have no problem with Gary becoming a temporary fugitive from "justice".
I despair of today's system of justice. Hopefully somehow this ruling will be reversed.
how long is this spineless country going to be americas slave??? their only doing this because they were made to look like fools. and can anyone tell me what damage he actually caused?? mr johnson get a back bone and stop taking those nice american wrapped back handers. hang your head with shame so called british justice
This is a disgraceful decision that brings our government and system of law into disrepute. It is said that it is harder to extradite a person from one state to another in the US than it is to extradite a Briton to stand trial in the US. How can we be so weak and craven?
I recall the words of Sir Alistair Graham former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life when he said: "It is not enough to say that it is within the rules when the rules themselves are wrong". He was speaking then about another matter - MP's expenses - but the principle carries much further.
Law must express and embody our national values. But when we allow the interpretation of law to over-ride those values, as is so clearly the case with Gary McKinnon, we diminish ourselves and everything our nation stands for. Those in authority need to reconnect with our national values and to stand up for them and for our own people.
His crime, if indeed it is a crime, was committed whilst on British soil and should be tried in our own courts of law. If found guilty his punishment should be set by our own courts and his sentence served in this country.
I too think this is a terrible decision, for reasons that include the following:
* Gary didn't do anything either harmful or malicious. He exposed a security vulnerability in an insecure network, with no ill intent. In my opinion, he should be thanked by the US government for that: it gave them the opportunity to fix it before someone dangerous cracked in.
* AS is relevant because I expect Gary thinks logically about this, rather than societally. Societally, it's apparently a crime, and maybe a neurotypical person would give this more weighting over the logical case that actually, no-one was hurt or even intended to be hurt.
* AS is also relevant because the projected punishment will be so much worse for a person with AS and mental health conditions to deal with than a neurotypical person in sound health. I have Asperger's Syndrome. I would also kill myself in preference to being handed over to a foreign American prison system apparently run on guidelines of scapegoating and ego glorification rather than compassion. Why be cruel? What is the point of cruelty?
* Finally, is anything to be gained by extraditing Gary? Will it help anyone? No. Will it prevent Gary from UFO hunting in US cyberterritory again? No, I'm sure his family and the British government are more than capable of that, and if I were Gary, I'd have got the message long ago. There is no gain. From a British government point of view, it's a bad thing because it weakens their position in relation to America, but the British government isn't the main point. The main point is: this will cause pain, and it's not necessary to.
I don't believe America should lead the world by fear.
Disgusting. Why is it when America barks we jump. Tell them to go to blazes. Whatever happened to the British Bulldog being having the loudest bark. Good luck Gary! I and many others wish you the best.
Are the British government still the puppets of the American administration? This is our government's oppotunity to demonstrate that it defends and supports British citizens and deny this young man's extradition. He should be tried in a British court.
Good thread on political blog site politicalbetting.com
Well worth adding comments as it is widely read by politicians and media
Extract from lead thread
Could there be an electoral price to pay?
If the Radio 5Live phone in that I was listening to this morning is anything to go by then home secretary and former Labour leadership favourite, Alan Johnson, has provoked a mass of anger over his decision to allow the extradition to the US of hacker, Gary McKinnon.
He’s the man with Asperger’s syndrome, who is accused of breaking into US military computers in his search for evidence of UFOs.
Johnson’s problem is the new extradition arrangement with the US which at the time of it going through was seen as very one-sided.
Gary’s lawyers are looking at other avenues to stop the extradition taking place and whichever way that goes it’s now become a lose-lose situation for the home secretary. If Gary goes then Johnson is to blame - if the legal moves to prevent it succeed then Johnson looks foolish
Civil disobedience is often effective in a situation as this. Suggestion - a covert location protected by supporters or a neutral area possibly an Embassy, while a Human Rights issue is pursued.
They say yes - we say no. The war is on.
I watched Gary Mckinnon's mother on breakfast TV today. She said that Gary has been given LESS time than others usually get to present his case. As he has a disability, is someone with more power than sense contravening the disability discrimination act?
I just want to add my support for Gary and his family. The British government must not bow to America any longer.
Gary McKinnon FREEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!
No ufo cover-up !!!
Daniele Dellerba, Italy!
I have o,c,d and my daughter is autistic.Sometimes my anxiety level is unbearable.I cant begin to understand what Gary must be going through.Its seems to me that this government sees its own people as worthless and not worth protecting.Why cant we stand up to them and refuse to let them take him away even if it means a human barrier round his home.
I find the attitude of this pathetic and useless government deplorable. I have a 30 year old son who also suffers with Asperger's Syndrome and, unfortunately, obsessive behaviour is one of the main symptoms. In fact, my own son also has a great interest in UFO's but thankfully does not have the necessary computer skills to get himself into trouble. The Americans are just trying to "save face" and mitigate the embarrassment they must have felt. A little bit of understanding is all that is necessary. When is this lickspittal government going to stand by its own citizens!
Wonderful how the spotlight has shifted from the FACT that Gary committed an illegal CRIMINAL ACT to the row over extradition.
Thanks to people like him businesses and us the jo public have to spend money buying security software to prevent our systems being compromised, having to spend hours reinstalling software and cleaning up the mess people like him leave behind them. Ask yourself ONE question WHAT IF HE had hacked YOUR COMPUTER, stole YOUR BANK details and helped himself to a sizeable chunk of your hard earned cash ? theft is theft... it doesnt matter whether its documents, files or money.. his crime had YOU paying money from the moment he committed like hundreds of others the same HACKING mentality.. the moment you spent money on the anti virus or security software for your computer system answers that in one.
1. Is Gary a criminal? Did he have criminal intentions when he hacked the US government's IT systems? I don't believe it.
2. Hacking is a sport. Even companies invite hackers to test their systems, in order to improve their security levels. The US government should be grateful to him to reveal weaknesses in their system.
3. Is the USA a constitutional state? Can an accused expect a honest trial in the USA? I don't believe it.
4. So many examples of injustice in the USA. Guantanamo Bay is just the top of the iceberg. If the hardliners and the paranoids have the power, they would easily hold Gary 10 years in prison without any start of a decent trial. To my opinion president Obama needs all the support to change the ridiculities and excesses in their system of law.
5. Should I have pity with the UK? Every country gets the government they deserve! The high qualified Tony Blair wrangled the 'allies' into the wrong war. Guess Home Secretary Alan Johnson shall be highly rewarded for his service to US justice. Does Brittania still rule the waves? I don't believe so.
6. This is a bad show. Isn't there some-one who can stop this nonsense?
Team McKinnon - its time to consider your extra-judicial options. Gary might want to start practicing his disappearing act, until after the election. I hear the Venezuelan embassy is very warm and inviting...
@ - Arthur Danielles - this case has nothing to do with anyone stealing any money and no computer viruses etc. were involved either.
Gary has always been willing to face a fair trial in the United Kingdom under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, for the alleged relatively minor illegal computer access offences - he denies the allegations of deliberate damage.
If you had put in a claim for the exaggerated hundreds of thousands of dollars of alleged *financial* damage, far in excess of the cost of brand new computer systems, to your insurance company, in the way that the US authorities have alleged without proof, then you could be charged with attempted fraud.
Without the "hacker mentality", which is no different from that of scientists, technologists and engineers, there would be no computers or the internet at all.
I think you words of support were wonderful but I think the reference to the syndrome is missing the point. The syndrome was part of the defence but the fact is this amazing man uncovered a free energy source as well as the existence of ET's. This information belongs to the world and could solve all of our problems with regards to religous wars and climate issues. He is not mentally ill... what he discovered has already been confirmed by hundreds of witnesses, please watch Dr Steven Greer National Press Conference on youtube, you will hear testimony by several military and govt personnel that the energy source exists as do ET's and a small select secret govt division is accountable to nobody including the President. Irrespective of Gary's personality he was acting in the best interests of the people of earth and that is why there is nobody in govt willing to stand up and prevent him being transported to the US, it will be the secret division that directs his trial, torture and detention. Spread the word of the truth and maybe if enough people become aware of what Gary and others have uncovered we have a chance to force the secrecy to stop, hence prevent any further attacks of citizens like Gary
It's shameful that the UK government would give up a British citizen in this way, it's totally wrong and it's about time someone in our government had the balls to stand up to the USA and say enough is enough.
There is no reason at all why a trial cannot be heard in the UK, if there is sufficient evidence then the UK judicial system is perfectly capable of making an appropriate punishment, but sending him to the USA is totally wrong.
Charlie, I bet you feel very superior and smug making mindless comments like that. You won't be saying that when the FBI knock on your door!
Gary's case sets a dangerous precedent that once applied can be reused again and again for as many people as the governmrnt... or rather the US government... decide. Any of us can be snactched off the streets and shipped off to thee USA to spend a lifetime in jail for what in essence is no more serious offence than vandalism.
What's more the "vandalism" was inadvertently caused while he was trying to do something that I consider very noble: exposing state secrets about UFO's. Gary is being made an example of, warning us not to investigate what he was.
We should blockade the airport if they try to fly him out!
Ben
Did I blink and miss it? Have we already had “Anschloss-UK”? Are we now relegated to being state No 51 of the USA?
Whatever happened to Britain being a free nation with it’s own laws? Are those now to be subject to American consent?
Is our government so subservient to America that we allow them to simply brush aside the process of British laws in favour of American knee-jerk anti-terror paranoia?
We are of course all subject to the whims of the terrorists but why is it that America has only “joined the fight” after they have been hit? Where were they while Ireland was being blown apart? What did they do to stop the expansion and advancement of terrorism?
Now we find an autistic British citizen is being denied the customary rights, protection and processes afforded by the British Justice System in order to satisfy the American lust for vengeance following their embarrassment at having one of their highest security networks hacked into.
Surely they owe him a debt of gratitude, at the very least, for highlighting the deficiency of their software and not a trial, which at best is likely to be a show piece after he has first been denounced by their overly inventive and excitable media as some demonic monster. Have they not yet learned from the mistakes of the “reds under the beds” days?
Come on America, stop being so self-serving and wake up to yourselves. Surely you can see that you would gain more support and standing around the world, if you show this young lad the same level of compassion and mercy as your president recently awarded to a turkey, rather than indulging on the current witch hunt.
Stop being so self-centred, start viewing the rest of mankind as equals and perhaps we’ll finally move forward towards a world where we really can appreciate one another and mix freely without fear. Currently your holier than thou attitude only furthers the arguments of others against you.
It’s about time the British Government stood up more robustly in support of the citizens it is elected to serve. We condemn bullying in the schools and workplace so why not in our political operations?
I am ashamed to be British at this moment. When will the government put Britain and British citizens first? Gary McKinnon is being denied his basic rights. When will this government listen and when will they realise there is a general election next year? The medical evidence cannot be ignored. Mr arthur Danielles, shame on you!
We Americans are stupid . Thanks to our useless news media . They are lazy , can't be trusted . We don't have a clue as to what goes on in Britain ... hell , rumor has it there is a drug war on our border with Mexico , but I can't say for sure . I'm sick of the " Ugly American " bullying countries and their people . My only consolation is that I am not alone ! I have a 20 year old " high functioning " autistic son . Brilliant , as a matter of fact . Got INTENT ? ... Nope ... sigh .
Thank you Susan, it's a shame America isn't being run by more people like you. I think us Brits must be stupid too to have trusted our government to do the right thing for one of our citizens. A person who is on the Autistic spectrum wakes up every day in a heightened state of anxiety, so can you imagine what effect 7 years of having this hanging over his head has had on him? He is not denying what he has done is wrong but in my humble opinion he has already served his sentence.
I agree with some of the above comments that it may be time for Gary to seek asylum in a foreign embassy. What a fucking travesty.
I feel really sorry for Gary as his intent was very brave and good indeed.
I hope people also in Europe and perhaps even USA citizen themselves will finally realize soon, with nowadays laws of USA and the behavior of past many years, USA has gone nothing else than a military dictatorship with changing front puppies. They can by now do nearly anything anywhere in compliance with their law. They can even get people from other countries by force out of their home-countries against the will of these countries and it is in compliance with the law of USA. They can keep you without attorney without any charge in prison for as long as they wish and say it is needed to get proofs. They only hold contracts which do not bother them. All other international contracts are broken in a regularly basis, even without bothering to play it down in media.
Wake up people. In school I learned, exactly that is dictatorship. They give crap of other nations. , they just want to rule the world and in addition to be imagined as heros. That is (really sadly) the USA of today.
It is a pity good guys like Gary have to feel this bitterness.
Gary ... never give up, never surrender.
Best regards!
Hi
I am appaled that the Americans are in effect dictating to us on this matter. The extradition treaty is a one sided sham that is only to be expected out of the collusion of our gutless
New Labour government and the Americans who it seems are running our country.
Gary Mckinnon embarresed the Americans by showing up their total lack of security. If Gary was malicious he would not have left messages to warn the sites he visited of their securty weaknesses.
The USA has always had an appaling lack of security. From Custer being warned not to split his forces, the early warnings of the attack at Pearl Harbour and yes just the other day a couple breach the Presidents own security by gatecrashing a party. Keep Gary here in the UK
I am the mother of an adult son with aspbergers and this makes me sick! My son has had obsession with several topics over the course of his life. My son is harmless, and actually believes he is being helpful when he is pursuing topics of intense interest to him.
This case is like punishing an intellectually challenged individual with down's syndrome for a low score on a college SAT test. It is the very nature of Aspberger's syndrom to do things similiar to what Gary was doing with his computer. Person's with Aspberger's syndrom need to be monitored all of their life and guided concerning such matters. This man is not a terrorist, in fact he probably believed he was helping our Pentagon and the world's people in general. The USA's reaction to this case is way out of proportion to the nature of the offense.
Hi, American citizen here. I've just heard of Gary's case so I'm still learning the details.
First, I don't think Gary should be extradited over here. He is YOUR citizen, I feel you guys should keep him and deal with him and I trust you will appropriately. If he is brought over here I'm afraid he will get lost in the justice system. Although I personally think we have one of the best systems in the world, it moves terribly, unacceptably SLOW. I'm also afraid he could become a 9/11 scapegoat.
You can see why our government is after Gary, don't you? After Gary left the message "It was not a mistake that there was a huge security stand-down on September 11 last year...I am SOLO".
He is basically taking responsibility for security mishaps on 9/11. That alone is going to fire up the entire country when this story gets out in the media. Right now it's internet only, local tv media hasn't picked up on it yet.
I have to admit, it is hurtful to hear someone even joke about that, and I do believe Gary was trying to grandstand. However, 9/11 is still a touchy subject for this country. We don't joke about it. Ever. You don't make light of thousands of innocent deaths or even associate yourself with such a heinous act. Just knowing that people trapped in those towers had to make a choice - burn alive or jump and commit suicide to avoid burning alive - is still a strong and horrific memory with all of us.
Anyway, I do believe Gary should remain where he is. He's a smart guy and can do some good with his talent, however I think the messages he left are what has fueled this fire. He does deserve to be punished. One of our most famous hackers here, Kevin Mitnick, served 5 years in prison.
Lastly, writing to our president, basically threatening him that this is "counterproductive, and damaging to US national interests, especially to their supposedly changed international reputation" is the wrong way to go about it. Trying to get the American public on your side is good idea, but that is going to hard when sites like this appear to be so uninformed and critical of our country.
yes gary is a hacker yes it was criminal and no it was not right but is he the hacker that stole people money of identity or messed up someone computer on purpose no not really.
the US is looking for the easy way out instead of going after the russian or chinese gang hackers or other criminal establishments the US is going after the one fellow who can barely defend himself and the extradition laws make it easy for them to get him that makes America a bully in my opinion. i hate bullies.
Ashley
The systems and arrangements for people whose mental health difficulties have deteriorated seriously are poor enough here in the UK.
It is so obvious to me that taking this man away and thinking that the US state, even under the improved regime of Barrack Obama, is not an infringement on rights and likely to cause very severe distress, is incredible.
Sharmi Chakribati is right: this is a vulnerable man and we have an obligation to protect him.
Why Alan Clarke wants to sell out another human being in this way, I don't know. I also don't know why the American Politicians - although I recognise that some Americans, including their politicians, are too stupid and insular to have a great deal of perspective - want to extradite him anyway.
There is a far simpler collaborative response that can be undertaken here, and if we are really partners with America this is what should happen.
"It was not a mistake that there was a huge security stand-down on September 11 last year...I am SOLO"
Trish, I think it may be you misunderstanding the meaning here. With that line, Gary is accusing the Bush government of complicity in the events of 9/11 - he is not saying he engineered the security stand-down.
Many people believe the events of 9/11 were engineered to enable Bush to start his various wars that happened subsequently. Personally, I believe those theories to be bogus, but there are plenty of conspiracy theorist pot-heads out there who will evangilise for hours on the subject - as a quick search on YouTube will show you.
"...Believe me, they’d do the same to any of us: you, me, your grandmother, your starving babies and our injured soldiers if it suited them. If they wanted to take Gary Mckinnon to Guantanamo Bay I don’t believe our government would have the courage to stop them..."
http://peterreynolds.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/uk-ministers-surrender-mckinnon-to-us-bullying/
I feel sad and angry that our government is allowing Gary to be extradited to the States. It is totally wrong. It seems more than wrong. It is astonishing and has shaken my belief in our government. I will be writing to Alan Johnson to express what I feel.
Good luck.
We need to put these genius kids with extraordinary math ability on cancer & bio statistics research. cancer is just a mathematical phenomenon that we have not solved yet. This autitic "hacker"-so called, as could your child hack cancer, aids and other plagues on the planet.
they want to give, work and implement. why dont we give them a chance. i worked with these special kids in the 70's at U minnesota where we tried to implement a placement system. now we need their brains to help us. criminalize is "intent" here the US is criminalizing "inquiry"... twitter.com/cantubury
Not so long ago we had Brits killed by friendly fire doing Americas dirty work in Iraq. We even watched the tape of it on the TV.Now let me think did they arrive in Britain to face Trial. Oh thats right America refused to send their boys over here as i recall.Seems to me theres one law for America and nothing for the rest of us and we laughingly call them allies
http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/stop-the-extradition-of-gary-mckinnon.html
Another petition has been created, please sign and pass on to everyone you know - thank you x
This Labour government is kowtowing to the Americans and Alan Johnson, who seemed a decent person when he first appeared on the scene, now could show some mercy and independance and not hide behind legal excuses which he knows can be got around. Gary should not be sent to the US.
Carol withers
As parents of an autistic 16-year-old we have a special interest in this case, but surely it is obvious to any rational person that Gary's ordeal has dragged on long enough and that his treatment, by any standards, has been and still is cruel and inhuman, driven by America's desire both to set an example and punish a typically obsessive Asperger's sufferer for exposing flaws in their defences, regardless of the lack of any hostile motivation for his actions. We held little hope of any New Labour home secretary showing any principles or willingness to stand up to US pressure, although we did expect more when the neocons were replaced by Obama's administration; but sadly, so far, there is no sign that this supposedly liberal president is poised to end the torment of a disabled man whose only 'crime' was to (harmlessly) alert the US to flaws in its cyber-security. But there is still time for Obama to do the right thing. Mr President, please show us that you ARE the compassionate, progressive man we hoped you were. At the very least, please let Gary McKinnon stand trial in his own country. This vulnerable man has already suffered enough.
Alan Johnson isn't good at his job as Home Secretary, as he's just not bright enough for it.
A recent Guardian profile inferred that he's a little dull, with no real policies, despite being tipped as next Labour leader.
He recently fired a drug advisor for giving advice, which outraged the scientific community. This clearly shows what kind of man he is.
Clearly Gary's case is getting the same treatment from Alan Johnson.
This person's blog says it all really: http://alan-johnson-home-secretary-labour.blogspot.com/
Gary, I'm wishing you well, one of many trying to stop this.
Trish,
Dont forget a fair few Brits died in that atrocity as well so no one here thinks its a matter for amusement. A lot of the criticism on this blog is aimed at the gutless British Government and not just the USA. Imagine yourself in London during the Blitz where some 30,000 men, women and children were killed. We can take it - can you?
I just wanted to say that I fail how an asperger sufferer can get justice in the American system when in the USA they have schools such as Judge Rotenberg Center that legally is using electric shocks to control and educate aspergers and autistic children as young as ten years of age for as little as swearing, in one case 77 shocks in three hours on one child for a "prank".
I also note the hypocrisy of the UK Labour Government who were making so much noise when demanding the Russians go against their own written constitution to illegally extradite Andrey Lugovoy for allegedly poisoning Alexander Litvinenko in London - Russia refused Labour's demand. Yet, Labour is quite willing to sell out our own citizen's to extradite them to a foreign power for what will be an unjust trial.
Just to add to the mix.
On 19th December 2007 David Blunkett, who signed the original treaty, sent me an email in response to my enquiry about the McKinnon case it said:
“I did indeed sign the agreement but at the time we sincerely believed that the United States would ratify (through the two houses of Congress) the treaty which sought to reaffirm the existing arrangements which had run out of time. They still haven’t!
It isn’t true – as I’ve seen in one or two broadsheet newspapers – that there are no safeguards and that there doesn’t have to be prima facie evidence. There does and the lawyers have been able to use this effectively where there hasn’t been a case to answer.”
In contrast on 27th February 2009 in response to my letter to the Attorney General Rob McMorran for the ‘Extradition Section’ of the Home Office wrote :
“The US was designated under Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”) as a territory not required to provide prima facie evidence in support of extradition requests made to the UK…
…The removal of the prima facie evidential requirement in extradition is nothing new. It is an aspect of modern extradition that trusted extradition partners do not need to provide prima facie evidence in support of extradition requests made to each other.”
This demonstrates two points:
Firstly, that a political error was made when the treaty was signed. The person who signed it, Blunkett, was hoping for a different arrangement but failed to put timelines on the temporary measure. Thus the package that we have is not what our representatives, at the time, intended us to have.
Secondly, that either David Blunkett had totally misunderstood the treaty he was signing regarding prima facie evidence or that the Home Office has reinterpreted the original agreement to suit its own agenda.
Alan Johnson is trying hard to distance himself from the realities of this situation, as have his predecessors, suggesting that there is a cultural environment in Whitehall and Westminster of either incompetence, servile acquiescence in order to further ones career or an economy with the truth regarding our ‘special relationship’ with the USA. Unfortunately I suspect Gary McKinnon is the victim of a combination of all three of these.
lain, I realize the diversity of the people that died that day, from my country, yours and all around the world, respectfully. What I'm saying is that the meaning of what Gary wrote can be perceived a few different ways here.
Truthfully, it all depends on how the media portrays him. There are quite a few free thinkers in this country but many will be sitting in front of a television set when they first learn about Gary. My point is - I just hope it's not more negative than it needs to be.
We seriously have way more important things to worry about over here. Hundreds of people dying from lack of health insurance daily, "tent cities" popping up around the country (homeless living in tents - i'm talking HUGE areas, not just parking lot sized), people are losing their homes every day and the majority of the country is struggling to even pay their bills. It's so incredible my government should be so worried about this guy instead of its own people. There's a few things for you brits to point out to Obama - and that will strike a nerve considering these are things he's trying to "fix" but not really making progress on.
hello solo!
come to russia! russian hackers will support you!)
Alan Johnson talks in terms of 'being powerless to stop' the extradition. This is a misleading use of language; and, it would seem, deliberately chosen in order to fudge the truth - that the real issue is not whether he can stop it, but whether he is bound by law to do it.
It would be astonishing if any law compelled the UK to give up its citizens (to the USA or anywhere else) whether it were right or wrong to do so, with no room for discretion in a given case.
If that truly is the state of the law now, then those responsible for passing it should face the electorate with that foul deed shouted from the rooftops.
If that is NOT the state of the law, then Alan Johnson should be hounded from office.
You're right Gerald. I read an article in the Guardian recently where Alan Johnson regarded as 'amazing' the arguements against Gary's extradition. The fact is, is that he doesn't give a hoot - or at least can't think straight. He should be hounded from office. He recently sacked that drugs advisor for giving advice.
I actually think this is far more serious than Labour realise. When there's a groundswell of people who actually believe (and see for a fact), that a government can't look after its own affairs anymore, and indeed can't even protect its own people, the whole thing collapses.
They need to come up with an answer *quick* before the average Britton, who hasn't usually got a taste for revolution, gets angry enough to break out of the mould and starts civil disobedience en masse.
The French sign things, and within reason, do what they want anyway regardless. The UK government could learn from that.
This idea of extradition is absurd.
No innocent man should be subject to this type of sentence unesessarily, especially as he has a recognised medical condition. His routine will be severely disrupted and it has been reported 'will cause his suicide'.
How any politician can have this guilt upon him is any ones guess.
I had little sympathy for Gary when I first heard of his story, in fact I was pleased that he was being brought to justice, so to speak, having been the victim of a malicious hacker myself. As this story has progressed I have come to realise that 'hackers' are not all the same. Gary didn't “attack” anyone. He didn't steal information or cause malicious misery, he merely looked where he shouldn't have looked. Governments don't care about your average person being harmed by hackers. I remember trying to report my attack to the local police and they were not interested. No, but once a government department, that evidently leaves its doors wide open has someone looking around it deserves 60 years in a foreign prison. I don't care if someone wants to use a bit of my broadband, just don't steal from my savings account or mess up my computer for that privileged. Gary is being used as a scapegoat and being compared to such people, when nothing could be further from the truth. Unfortunately for Gary is that many people still view him as I once did, a view that this government is quite happy to uphold and circulate. Gary, I wish you well, and hope you come out of this as unscathed as possible. It may not sound much, but this message is from someone who never would have thought they could have any sympathy for your cause. The idea that you should be extradited sickens me to my stomach, especially to a nation that would not even contemplate doing the same to one of its own citizens. Absolutely sickening. You're a pawn in some very sinister political shenanigans between the UK and US and I just hope that enough people become politically motivated to stop this vile violation of your, and our, civil rights. Good luck to you. I mean that more than you could probably imagine.
Here is a copy of an email I just sent to the home office.
Dear Sir/Madam
Please keep me informed over the extradition of Gary McKinnon. I find this governments treatment of an obviously mentally ill man with Asperger's syndrome despicable. I also find the fact that this government would agree to be so cavalier with its citizens liberty to be appalling at best. Your democratic duty must surely be the interests of your own citizens as opposed to be the interests of some foreign nation? What a sorry state of affairs this nation has become when it wields to the authority of another.
You may trace or 'investigate' my on-line activity for being so bold as to criticise your actions over this case, but you will hopefully be enlightened by the fact that your average voter and citizen is disgusted by your betrayal. If you are investigating perhaps you should take the opportunity to hand yourself in for the same 'heinous' crimes Gary McKinnon is apparently guilty of?
Yours
Sharon McCarthy.
I am the mother of a 20 year old Asperger son, and my heart goes out to Gary and his family, I am so angry with the injustice of this case that have I emailed both the White House and Alan Johnson and will continue making my feelings known. I can only hope that Mr Johnson will find himself a backbone and a conscience. Keep fighting Janis
Thank you Sharon for putting it so well, i feel exactly the same as you and as a mother who believes her eldest child suffers with the aspergers spectrum it worries me greatly that this country does not care enough about their vulnerable people, regardless of age to have the courage to stand up to america as america would if the roles were reversed.
Gary, be strong. Janis i wish you all my strength and support for i have never been so angry in all my life.I will be thinking of you all on Tuesday and hope your march goes well. be strong of heart and mind.
Have you people who don't want him to be extradited taken a look at yourselves? If you don't want him extradited... then don't let it happen. I'm sure Gary could survive de facto house arrest in place of going to America. What I mean is, a human barrier could do the trick.
Unless the government want to make themselves *really* unpopular, call in the riot police, and remove everyone by force...
In that case, passing him around might do the trick. Pull him off the system, and make use of a network of safe houses.