Lawyers oppose extradition of DoD hacker

[unhappycamper]

Lawyers oppose extradition of DoD hacker
By Jill Lawless - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jan 20, 2009 13:03:07 EST

LONDON — Lawyers for a British man accused of hacking into U.S. military computers asked Britain’s High Court to block his extradition to the United States.

They say Gary McKinnon has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, and is at risk of psychosis or suicide if he is sent to the U.S.

Lawyer Edward Fitzgerald said Tuesday that McKinnon was “a seriously disordered person” whose health would suffer if he were sent so far away from his family. He said the danger would increase if McKinnon were held in harsh conditions in a maximum security prison.

McKinnon’s lawyers are asking the court to let him appeal the government’s decision to extradite him.

U.S. prosecutors say McKinnon, 42, broke into 97 computers belonging to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense and several branches of the U.S. military shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_uk_dod_hacker_012009w/%2e