The court ruled against an appeal from Glasgow-born hacker Gary McKinnon, who is attempting to avoid facing charges in the United States for his confessed computer attack on the government computers, the BBC said Thursday.

The 42-year-old admits he broke into 97 U.S. military and NASA computers in an attempt to learn more about UFOs.

His lawyer, Karen Todner, has asked British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to assist her client in his attempt to avoid extradition. Todner told the BBC that McKinnon is "terrified" about facing U.S. charges for his actions, the BBC said.