Posted on 05/10/2006 4:41:25 AM PDT by Vectorian
UK hacker Gary McKinnon should be recommended for extradition to the US, a district court judge has ruled. The decision means Mr McKinnon will face trial in America for what the US has called "the biggest military hack of all time".
Although he has admitted hacking US military networks, Mr McKinnon said he was motivated by curiosity not malice.
The final decision on whether the Londoner should be sent to the US for trial rests with the home secretary.
Hack attack
The decision was given at Bow Street Magistrates' Court in London and ends three years of uncertainty for Mr McKinnon.
Speaking outside the court after hearing the decision Mr McKinnon said: "It went as expected and now the appeals process can now start."
Karen Todner, Mr McKinnon's solicitor, said: "We're obviously very disappointed with the judgement that was given this morning. We're are proposing to appeal this to the Secretary of State, and if we're still refused we will then appeal to the High Court for a decision to allow Gary to be tried here as a British citizen."
Mr McKinnon was first arrested in 2002 by the UK's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit for hacking into a series of computer networks used by the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Department of Defense.
The US in its case for extradition said Mr McKinnon caused $700,000 (£375,235) of damage while exploring the computer networks at various US military institutions.
It said one attack at a US Naval Air Station took place soon after the attacks on September 11, 2001 and made it impossible to use critical systems.
Mr McKinnon has admitted that he spent almost two years exploring these networks but has said he was motivated by a search for what he called "suppressed technology".
In numerous interviews about the case, Mr McKinnon has resisted attempts to portray him as a hacking mastermind. Instead, he has said, the lax security policies of the US military are to blame for what happened.
Speaking after the hearing ended he said: "My intention was never to disrupt security. The fact that I logged on with no password showed there was no security to begin with."
If tried in the US for his hacking spree, Mr McKinnon could face decades in jail and very heavy fines.
I hate hackers. Lock this punk up for a long stretch.
L
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Yes, he's a looney tune and needs to be punished, but the more serious offense is the military not securing it's site. Military heads should also roll.
You said it all. Ditto.
Read and noted. Sorry.
I tend to agree, but from the other side of the coin if you went to your bank and found the vault empty and were told by the CEO:
'. . .I'm sorry all your money has gone, but this place is clearly a bank and we never for one minute thought it might be prudent to lock the door or post a guard. Who could've guessed someone might steal from a bank?. . .'
I doubt you'd be too impressed. If this loser can perpetrate what the US described as '"the biggest military hack of all time". in it's extradition pleas, then I suspect Al Quaeda could do the same.
They should pay this guy a $700,000 consultancy fee (cancelling out the debt) and let him go. He's done everyone a favour.
I wish he'd found some of thet UFO technology - I quite fancy a hover car.
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