Guilty as sin
The Gary McKinnon hacker case annoys me greatly. Yes, the UK:US extradition treaties are biased in favour of the USA. Yes, our Home Secretary could, if he so chose, exercise his discretion to lobby more strongly on McKinnon's part.
But none of these take away from the fact that the chap is guilty as sin.
The fact that McKinnon hacked into the US military computer systems is not contested. There are several main parts to the defence case:
1. McKinnon is a nutjob.
No he bloody well is not. Like most technical experts, McKinnon has some behaviour that fits into the autistic spectrum. But his behaviour quite typical of your average computer geek. He has an interest in UFOs and conspiracy theories. So do I. So do most of the programmers I've met, and I've met a lot. Heck, I jointly founded a paranormal research society. That doesn't make me mental, it makes me interested in investigating the scientific and historical basis, or lack thereof, for UFO and paranormal claims.
McKinnon is perfectly able to function in society, he knew that what he was doing was illegal and could get him lots of prison time.
If every computer geek with an interest in UFOs was declared a head-case, the IT departments throughout the land would be half-empty, and the half that would be left would be those obsessed by Tolkien. Geeks like sci-fi. Geeks like to find out stuff. Being a clever bloke is not an illness!
2. McKinnon's mental health has deteriorated as he awaits trial.
Well, duh. Everyone's mental health deteriorates when they await trial. It's hardly a stress-free event, is it? He is making it worse for himself by his own delaying tactics. That's no reason to delay a trial or deny extradition. Accused people get stressed, bears shit in the woods and the Pope is Catholic. Sort out your defence and face the music.
3. McKinnon's search for UFO material was not a threat to national security.
Bullshit. How can breaching the security of the command and control computers for our largest NATO ally not be a massive, huge threat to our national security? He's a threat to both our British national security and the US national security. They're our fscking nuclear-warhead toting allies, FFS. He's not being done for hacking some tiny inconsequential neutral or enemy force, like Russia or Cuba or France. The British armed forces are so tightly integrated with the Americans that our servicemen literally shit in the same lavatories. We're the number one and number two NATO buddies.
4. He won't get a fair hearing in the US.
Codswallop. The US has a justice system heavily based on our own British system. It is as full and as fair as ours. Our extradition treaty states that the US will not seek the death penalty for any extradited UK citizens. The British government typically pick up the defence legal bill for foreigners overseas, too. There is nothing here to discuss.
McKinnon is not ill, he's just wrong. He knowingly did something blatantly illegal and blatantly against both our and our closest allies' national interests. What's the hold up here? Ship him to our allies for trial.
But none of these take away from the fact that the chap is guilty as sin.
The fact that McKinnon hacked into the US military computer systems is not contested. There are several main parts to the defence case:
1. McKinnon is a nutjob.
No he bloody well is not. Like most technical experts, McKinnon has some behaviour that fits into the autistic spectrum. But his behaviour quite typical of your average computer geek. He has an interest in UFOs and conspiracy theories. So do I. So do most of the programmers I've met, and I've met a lot. Heck, I jointly founded a paranormal research society. That doesn't make me mental, it makes me interested in investigating the scientific and historical basis, or lack thereof, for UFO and paranormal claims.
McKinnon is perfectly able to function in society, he knew that what he was doing was illegal and could get him lots of prison time.
If every computer geek with an interest in UFOs was declared a head-case, the IT departments throughout the land would be half-empty, and the half that would be left would be those obsessed by Tolkien. Geeks like sci-fi. Geeks like to find out stuff. Being a clever bloke is not an illness!
2. McKinnon's mental health has deteriorated as he awaits trial.
Well, duh. Everyone's mental health deteriorates when they await trial. It's hardly a stress-free event, is it? He is making it worse for himself by his own delaying tactics. That's no reason to delay a trial or deny extradition. Accused people get stressed, bears shit in the woods and the Pope is Catholic. Sort out your defence and face the music.
3. McKinnon's search for UFO material was not a threat to national security.
Bullshit. How can breaching the security of the command and control computers for our largest NATO ally not be a massive, huge threat to our national security? He's a threat to both our British national security and the US national security. They're our fscking nuclear-warhead toting allies, FFS. He's not being done for hacking some tiny inconsequential neutral or enemy force, like Russia or Cuba or France. The British armed forces are so tightly integrated with the Americans that our servicemen literally shit in the same lavatories. We're the number one and number two NATO buddies.
4. He won't get a fair hearing in the US.
Codswallop. The US has a justice system heavily based on our own British system. It is as full and as fair as ours. Our extradition treaty states that the US will not seek the death penalty for any extradited UK citizens. The British government typically pick up the defence legal bill for foreigners overseas, too. There is nothing here to discuss.
McKinnon is not ill, he's just wrong. He knowingly did something blatantly illegal and blatantly against both our and our closest allies' national interests. What's the hold up here? Ship him to our allies for trial.