UK blocks the extradition of computer hacker Gary McKinnon to the US

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

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Home Secretary Theresa May says there is no doubt Mr McKinnon is seriously ill. She says she has carefully examined the medical evidence and taken legal advice and has concluded that his extradition would give such a high risk that he would end his life that it restricts his human rights. Just announced live at House of Commons.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19962844

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Here's the home secretary's statement to the House verbatim.

Since I came into office, the sole issue on which I have been required to make a decision is whether Mr McKinnon's extradition to the United States would breach his human rights.

Mr McKinnon is accused of serious crimes. But there is also no doubt that he is seriously ill. He has Asperger's Syndrome, and suffers from depressive illness. The legal question before me is now whether the extent of that illness is sufficient to preclude extradition.

After careful consideration of all of the relevant material, I have concluded that Mr McKinnon's extradition would give rise to such a high risk of him ending his life that a decision to extradite would be incompatible with Mr McKinnon's human rights.

I have therefore withdrawn the extradition order against Mr McKinnon.
It will now be for the director of public prosecutions to decide whether Mr McKinnon has a case to answer in a UK court.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2012/oct/16/gary-mckinnon-extradition-decision-live

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[tsuki]

2. David Rivkin, a US lawyer and former counsel to the White House,

said we have a very humane, very just justice system. ? Calling Bradley Manning, Calling Bradley Manning.

[Delphinus]

3. This is the man,

who when he was very young, hacked into the computers of our intelligence?

[dipsydoodle]

4. Assuming you mean your morons

then yes that was the claim made.

[struggle4progress]

5. Alan Johnson accuses Home Secretary of serving party interests

A former Home Secretary has accused Theresa May of blocking Gary McKinnon's extradition to serve her Conservative party ...

"The US was perfectly within its rights, and it was extremely reasonable of them, to seek his extradition.

"We now do not know whether Gary McKinnon will ever have to face justice on those accusations."

He added: "The Home Secretary has made a decision today that's in her own party's best interest; it is not in the best interests of the country."

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2012-10-16/alan-johnson-accuses-home-secretary-of-serving-party-interests/

[struggle4progress]

6. ... American lawyer, David Rivkin, a former White House adviser, said the decision was "laughable",

adding, "Under that logic, anybody who claims some kind of physical or mental problem can commit crimes with impunity and get away with it."

US extradition expert Douglas McNabb said the US Attorney's Office would be furious and he suspected it would ask Interpol to issue a red notice - making other nations aware there was an outstanding arrest warrant for Mr McKinnon in the US - which would mean he could be arrested if he left the UK ...

US authorities have described Glasgow-born Mr McKinnon's actions as the "biggest military computer hack of all time" and have demanded he face justice in America ...

The Americans said his actions caused $800,000 (£487,000) worth of damage to military computer systems ...

16 October 2012 Last updated at 10:32 ET
Gary McKinnon extradition to US blocked by Theresa May
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19957138

[rachel1]

7. It's about time the British government grew a spine and

decided to scrutinize their sycophantic and one-sided extradition treaty with the US government.

Bravo.