Timeline: McKinnon’s desperate fight to avoid US justice

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Once again, hacker Gary McKinnon prepares a last-ditch bid to stop his extradition to the US for hacking US military computers. After McKinnon’s solicitor unsuccessfully made a case to the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, his solicitors are given 14 more days to find more judicial solutions.

McKinnon said the hacks were harmless and due to his Aspergers syndrome, as well as his curiosity about aliens. If he wins an appeal he can expect a far more lenient sentence tried in the UK, of possibly three to four years, rather than decades in a US jail.

With McKinnon fast running out of options, IT PRO looks at the struggles he’s had to stay within the UK legal system.

February 2007: Alleged NASA hacker begins extradition fight

Lawyers for McKinnon who was alleged to have hacked into NASA and Pentagon computers begin their fight to stop his extradition to the US. McKinnon admits accessing the computers, but he claimed that he was only looking for evidence of extraterrestrial life.

October 2007: McKinnon give leave to appeal hacking extradition

After making a failed case to the High Court, the House of Lords give McKinnon another chance to appeal his extradition to the US. It was done on the grounds that US prosecuting authorities were coercive and threatening during plea bargaining discussions.

June 2008: British hacker takes appeal to Law Lords

McKinnon continues his fight against extradition and begins his case at the House of Lords. McKinnon’s lawyers claim that an extradition could see him sentenced for anything up to 45 years.

July 2008: Hacker McKinnon loses final appeal

The hacker loses his appeal to the Law Lords. The only option now is the European courts.

August 2008: Hacker McKinnon gets extradition delay

The European Court of Human Rights grants McKinnon a two-week delay on his extradition, giving it a chance to look at his case.

August 2008: Hacker faces justice after lost Euro appeal

The European courts reject the appeal – his last chance through the court system. Plans are made to appeal to the Home Secretary, which are also rejected.

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