LONDON (AFP) – A Briton accused of hacking into US military and NASA computers faces extradition to the United States after the British government rejected last-ditch requests to block the move.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson concluded that sending Gary McKinnon to the United States would not breach his human rights, and said he has no general discretionary powers to stop the extradition.
"If Mr McKinnon's human rights would be breached, I must stop the extradition. If they wol discretionary powers to stop the extradition.
"If Mr McKinnon's human rights would be breached, I must stop the extradition. If they would not be breached, the extradition must go ahead," Johnson said in a statement.
"As the courts have affirmed, I have no general discretion," he said.
McKinnon, who suffers from a form of autism, could spend life in prison if convicted by a US court of gaining access to 97 computers in 2001 and 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
His family and lawyers have warned throughout the long-running case that McKinnon, who has Asperger's Syndrome, could commit suicide or suffer psychosis if the extradition went ahead.
McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, slammed the decision as "devastating" and "barbaric," adding that her son was terrified of extradition.
"To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric," she said.
"This is a cruel and miserable decision," she told the BBC, adding that the gl discretionary powers to stop the extradition.
"If Mr McKinnon's human rights would be breached, I must stop the extradition. If they would not be breached, the extradition must go ahead," Johnson said in a statement.
"As the courts have affirmed, I have no general discretion," he said.
McKinnon, who suffers from a form of autism, could spend life in prison if convicted by a US court of gaining access to 97 computers in 2001 and 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
His family and lawyers have warned throughout the long-running case that McKinnon, who has Asperger's Syndrome, could commit suicide or suffer psychosis if the extradition went ahead.
McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, slammed the decision as "devastating" and "barbaric," adding that her son was terrified of extradition.
"To force a peaceful, vulnerable, misguided UFO fanatic like Gary thousands of miles away from his much-needed support network is barbaric," she said.
"This is a cruel and miserable decision," she told the BBC, adding that the government, should "hang their heads in shame."overnment, should "hang their heads in shame."uld not be breached, the extradition must go ahead," Johnson said in
