'Hacker' extradition case reopens

[OMEN]

Gary McKinnon's lawyer says he "vigorously contests" the claims
The extradition hearing of a British man accused of hacking into the US military computer system has resumed.

Gary McKinnon, 40, is accused of causing damage to 97 US government computers estimated at £370,000.

His lawyers want US authorities to give reassurances he will not get a military order and face being sent to Guantanamo Bay with no prospect of parole.

Mr McKinnon, of Wood Green, north London, is contesting extradition at Bow Street Magistrates' Court.

He is alleged to have infiltrated the military system from his home computer between February 2001 and March 2002.

In total, Mr McKinnon is said to have accessed 53 US Army computers, 26 US Navy computers, 16 Nasa computers, one US Department of Defence computer and one US Air Force computer.

Intimidation claim

The entire network of more than 300 computers at US Naval Weapons Station Earle, in New Jersey, is said to have been left inoperable after Mr McKinnon deleted files.

The prosecution alleges that his ultimate goal was to gain access to the US military classified information network.

At a hearing last July, Mark Summers, representing the US government, claimed Mr McKinnon's conduct was "intentional and calculated to influence and affect the US government by intimidation and coercion".

Computer programmer Mr McKinnon, who was granted bail at the July hearing, could face more than 45 years in prison in the US.

Mr McKinnon was first arrested in 2002 but action against him was discontinued before extradition proceedings began.

BBC

[LionDen]

I would love to see the classified files to, but damn 45 years is a long time for only accessing the PCs. He will probably start working for the CIA or FBI anyway during his incarceration. lol