UK hacker could avoid extradition

Computer hacker Gary McKinnon looked to be facing certain extradition to the States but he now seems to have found himself a powerful ally in British Prime Minister David Cameron.

David Cameron met with Barack Obama yesterday and the ongoing issue surrounding Gary McKinnon was one of the topics which came up for discussion. It is not certain yet but it appears as though McKinnon could now avoid extradition to the US but this does not mean that he will avoid jail. During their three-hour private meeting the two leaders were also set to talk about the oil spill, Afghanistan and the economy. The case dates back eight years. McKinnon was indicted by a court in the US after he faced accusations that he had hacked into computer systems belonging to NASA, The Department of Defense, the Air force and the Army. Authorities in the States allege that he caused $800,000 worth of damage and,if extradited, he could face anything up to 70 years in jail. In his defense Gary McKinnon has always maintained that he meant no harm and says that he was looking for evidence of UFOs. His supporters say that McKinnon, who has Aspergers Syndrome, will not be able to cope with life in prison. I asked a charity about Aspergers Syndrome and they explained to me that his condition would have been the reason behind his obsession and they hoped that the situation could be "intelligently and humanly sorted out." His mother, who has fought a fierce battle to keep her son from being extradited, has welcomed the news. When his mother, Janis Sharp, spoke to Radio Five Live she said: "It was incredible. I couldn't believe it when I switched on television and saw Obama and David Cameron discussing Gary. "With all the things like the BP crisis and everything, it was wonderful that he raised that with Obama, and that Obama smiled and at the end actually said that they're hoping to find a way that is appropriate to get through this." Mr Cameron seemed hopeful of a compromise during his interview on Five Live saying if a sentence was handed down it should be served in the UK. Speaking in the interview, which was exclusive to Five Live, David Cameron said: "Work has been going on to try and see if there isn't some way of dealing with this case where perhaps the sentences given in America that some of the - if there is a prison sentence - is served in a British prison." The Prime Minister also talked about Afghanistan and Abdel Basset al-Megrah, the Lockerbie bomber who was freed from prison last year, a decision that David Cameron remains opposed to.