MPs from the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat
parties will meet home secretary Alan Johnson today to ask him to
stop the extradition of self-confessed hacker Gary McKinnon to the
US.
McKinnon
(picture/Rex Features)
faces charges that he hacked hundreds of US government and military
computers in 2001 and caused damage worth thousands of dollars.
McKinnon denies causing any damage but admits hacking the
computers, saying he was looking for evidence of UFOs and
sustainable energy from alien technology.
The delegation is expected to include former Labour minister
Michael Meacher, former shadow home secretary David Davis and
LibDem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne.
They are expected to present a detailed legal opinion to
Johnson, arguing that the government is wrong to believe that it
cannot intervene in the extradition process once the courts have
made their decision. McKinnon has lost every legal battle against
extradition to date, but has agreed to be tried in the UK and to
serve any sentence here.
McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of
autism, is appealing the most recent judgement, which cleared the
way for his extradition despite his illness.
In July, more that 40 MPs signed a letter to US President Barack
Obama asking him to stop McKinnon's extradition.
More on the McKinnon case can be found
here.
Recent developments: