British hacker fights extradition to U.S.

LONDON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Supporters of the autistic British hacker accused of tapping into dozens of U.S. government computers are rallying to fight his extradition to face the charges.

U.S. officials said Gary McKinnon in 2001 exploited security gaps in a number of software programs to hack into computers at NASA, the Pentagon and more than a dozen stateside military installations, The Washington Post reported Friday.

McKinnon, 43, was indicted in Alexandria and New Jersey in November 2002 on eight counts of computer fraud.

For the last seven years, McKinnon's lawyers have fought his extradition, seeking to have the case tried in Britain where, if he were convicted, the penalties would be less severe and he could be imprisoned close to his family. McKinnon admitted to hacking into 97 U.S. government computers between February 2001 and March 2002.

In February, British authorities refused to charge him or have the U.S. charges heard in Britain, saying it would be best to prosecute McKinnon in the United States, the Post said.

Last month, McKinnon lost an appeal of the British government's decision. His attorneys said they would appeal the decision.

His supporters argue he should not be extradited to face the U.S. charges because he has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. They also challenge U.S. allegations that his actions resulted in $700,000 in damage.

McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, appealed to U.S. President Barack Obama during a recent rally, saying her son was motivated by conspiracy theories and trying to find evidence in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

"Please ... he'd never hurt anyone," she said. "Don't let the first person you extradite be a good, gentle man with Asperger's."