McKinnon's ordeal like 'execution'

Feb 9 2012

Computer hacker Gary McKinnon's 10-year ordeal as he faces extradition to the US is "tantamount to facing execution", his MP has said.

Conservative MP for Enfield Southgate David Burrowes told MPs his constituent would not be celebrating his birthday on Friday amid the continuing uncertainty over his future.

The High Court expressed concern over how long Mr McKinnon's case was taking to return to court last month, with two judges listing the case for July in a bid to speed up matters.

They acted after hearing that Home Secretary Theresa May is "considering afresh" whether Asperger's sufferer McKinnon should be extradited to the US to face trial for hacking into military computers in 2002.

Mr Burrowes, who has long campaigned in support of Mr McKinnon's predicament, called in the Commons for a statement once Mrs May had made a final decision.

He said: "Tomorrow is my constituent Gary McKinnon's birthday. He will not be celebrating because it is the 10th year that he's been facing extradition to the United States which given his mental state is tantamount to facing execution. Will the Leader of the House ensure that we have a statement when the Home Secretary finally makes her decision."

Leader of the House of Commons Sir George Young replied: "I commend him for the way that he has championed the cause of his constituent. He will know that the Home Secretary has commissioned some reports, some advice on medical issues and she will need some time to reflect on those.

"I understand the court has directed that the Home Secretary provide Mr McKinnon's representatives with the experts' report by February 24 and he will then have a further 28 days in order to respond. The court has also directed that a hearing should take place in July, but I will pass on to the Home Secretary what he has just said."

Mr McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, has said the treatment of her son, who admits hacking into military computers but claims he was looking for evidence of UFOs, was "barbaric". On Wednesday, she met supporters outside Number 10 to hand over poems backing her son to mark the 10th anniversary of his first arrest.

McKinnon's legal team hopes Mrs May will block extradition amid predictions he could be jailed for 60 years in America. Medical evidence shows the 45-year-old was "suffering from a serious mental disorder and there is a serious risk of suicide if extradited", his legal team has said.