Why McKinnon should be tried in the UK
By Nicole Kobie in Editorial
Posted in Uncategorized on
There’s a simple, straight-forward reason why I believe admitted hacker Gary McKinnon should be tried in the UK and not extradited to the US — though I admit it’s not really based in law and is rather self-centred.
I just want to stop hearing about it. The Daily Mail has launched a massive campaign to keep the Asperger’s Syndrome afflicted hacker in the UK, with some guy named Lord Carlile crying on about how it would be cruel to send good old Gary to the horrible, unjust US.
Yeah, sure. Whatever. I’m cool with that. Just shut up about it.
He’s admitted guilt, so as long as the court case goes quickly and quietly, I don’t care. Let him go free even, I don’t care. I’m not worried about him hacking my computer, I don’t have any UFO files. I’m just so sick of papers like the Mail treating this like it’s a big deal, like it’s some sort of human rights battle. There are real human rights atrocities happening; this one doesn’t deserve the front page.
The Americans aren’t going to execute him or lock him up for life. They don’t even care. Anything scary they said — one prosecutor was apparently quoted as wishing to see him fry — was because McKinnon hacked into computer systems of national security importance in the US after the September 11 attacks. Y’know, the ones that killed over 3,000 people and lead that nation into a few wars. They were a bit upset, you see, a bit nervous. They said things, did things, that they didn’t mean.
You want some proof of this (that they don’t care, not about the wars thing)? Do a Google News search for the term “Gary McKinnon.” Billions of stories (I exaggerate, but this is hardly scientific) originate in the UK, the vast majority from the Daily Mail.
The first international one was from Malta. After that, Germany. Then, there was a bunch of languages I can’t read. Couldn’t find one from the US. They don’t care. They don’t even know this is going on. There’s no outrage in the US that the UK hasn’t handed McKinnon over. And without outrage, don’t expect much to happen.
Indeed, a freedom of information request filed to NASA — his main target — found the space agency didn’t have any documents relating to McKinnon other than a few news stories downloaded from Slashdot.
So let’s keep him. They won’t mind. The only legal repercussions I want applied to McKinnon is that he never, ever makes a headline ever again. Is that too much to ask? And can we talk about something important now?
Rated: 73.33% (3 votes)
Loading ...Comment by Joan - July 7, 2009 on 10:25 am
My GOD your an idiot!, talk about going on a bit, Nicole your a born moaner, you have no idea what it is like for him. 7 years of waiting for the UK to step up for its own citizens its been hell for him and all you can do is moan. I really hope that your never in trouble cause i don’t think the Daily Mail would want to help you and yes we’ll keep him, if its just to shut you up!!!
Comment by colin oute - July 10, 2009 on 10:49 am
The impotant thing about this is that any british person can be dragged off to the US on a mere suspicion and face years in jail until cop a plea all on no evidence whatsoever!! that is effin’ important!
And the reason there are no american stories is because the story is suppressed there because they had no passwords firewalls etc on thousands of gov machines and he accuses them of being somewhat involved in 911 as does 700 top architects 400 millitary people 200 polititians etc etc …and they don’t want that kind of scrutiny.
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