Poll: Should Gary McKinnon be extradited to the US for hacking?

[stockhausen]

A High Court judge is to rule on whether Home Secretary Alan Johnson was wrong to allow the extradition of computer hacker Gary McKinnon.
...
Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said the judicial review was "Heartening news. Even now the Prime Minister and Home Secretary could step in to spare Gary McKinnon from this ordeal by ensuring that he is instead tried in a British court. It must be hoped that the courts prevent this unfair extradition and in doing so display more courage than our ministers." he said.

Isabella Sankey, director of policy for human rights group Liberty, said the charity welcomed the decision. "We should not be sending people to be tried in foreign courts and then, if convicted, imprisoned away from family and friends when it is perfectly feasible to try them in the courts in this country," she said." (BBC online)

Good news; I hope that New Labour grow some and agree to try Gary McKinnon in the UK rather than shipping him off to a show-trial in Execution Central

 

[JJKrista1]

Voted yes. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

 

[stockhausen]

Voted yes. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

It's a pity that New Labour have so little faith in the British judicial system that they have to rely on swivel-eyed American loonies

 

[Floogie]

Voted no. Until the US decide to address the imbalance in their extradition treaty to the UK, then stuff 'em.

 

[yermum]

I would like to draw your attention to the different approaches that the media have taken to this case and the recnet case of the smuggler put to death in China recently.

There they were claiming at every news bulletin and on every front page that Akmal Shaikh should have been granted clemency as he had a mental condition, yet there has been no similar outrage that government are prepared to allow Gary McKinnon to be subjected to this witch hunt which seems to have taken its toll on his mental health.

Maybe the press and BBC are afraid to speak out against government policy in case they are branded as terrorist organisations and subsequently banned.

 

[Dolph]

I would like to draw your attention to the different approaches that the media have taken to this case and the recnet case of the smuggler put to death in China recently.

There they were claiming at every news bulletin and on every front page that Akmal Shaikh should have been granted clemency as he had a mental condition, yet there has been no similar outrage that government are prepared to allow Gary McKinnon to be subjected to this witch hunt which seems to have taken its toll on his mental health.

Maybe the press and BBC are afraid to speak out against government policy in case they are branded as terrorist organisations and subsequently banned.

Clemency != ignoring the crime.

Gary McKinnon is not at risk of the death penalty, and hence there is less moral outrage.

Mental illness in this country doesn't get you free of a trial and punishment, so why should we expect it to in the USA?

 

[Tefal]

I would like to draw your attention to the different approaches that the media have taken to this case and the recnet case of the smuggler put to death in China recently.

There they were claiming at every news bulletin and on every front page that Akmal Shaikh should have been granted clemency as he had a mental condition, yet there has been no similar outrage that government are prepared to allow Gary McKinnon to be subjected to this witch hunt which seems to have taken its toll on his mental health.

Maybe the press and BBC are afraid to speak out against government policy in case they are branded as terrorist organisations and subsequently banned.

The fact one was an execution made a considerable difference.


I don't think the press would have batted an eye over the storey

"drug smuggler sent to jail in china"

 

[Tefal]

It's a pity that New Labour have so little faith in the British judicial system that they have to rely on swivel-eyed American loonies

You simply can't beat a well considered and succinctly phrased evidence based argument

 

[dirtydog]

 

[meghatronic]

Extradition of computer hacker Gary McKinnon put on hold
www.guardian.co.uk
The extradition of the computer hacker Gary McKinnon has been put on hold after the new home secretary, Theresa May, agreed to an adjournment of a judicial review that was supposed to start within days

 

[Danthus]

It seems Gordon Brown lobbied on behalf of McKinnon.

 

[citizen0100]

I don't have any valid reasons but no, he should be tried here if anywhere!!

 

[Sankari]

Good grief, this guy's had more "get out of jail free" cards than a psychotic cop at a G20 protest.

 

[stockhausen]

It seems Gordon Brown lobbied on behalf of McKinnon.

So did Cameron last year (LINK).

It is unlikely to help his case that the Americans are already hugely embarrassed by the many other Wikileaks revelations.

 

[Cosimo]

Good grief, this guy's had more "get out of jail free" cards than a psychotic cop at a G20 protest.

His luck will run out at some point in time.

 

[deuse]

Good grief, this guy's had more "get out of jail free" cards than a psychotic cop at a G20 protest.

Post of the day...I Peed myself laughing

 

[Mr-White]

Surely he's served his sentence by now if he had been tried in this country. Normally hacking would have got him a slap on the wrist here, if he doesn't get expedited and gets tried here, he'll sue for being imprisoned longer than his sentence ?

MW

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Good grief, this guy's had more "get out of jail free" cards than a psychotic cop at a G20 protest.

It's interesting that you say that Ev as you seem a man who champions fairness in the legal system.

Do you think that the UK's extradition treaty with the USA is fair given that prima fascie evidence is currently not required ?

 

[ubersonic]

He should be punished for his crime, I find the notion of people defending him laughable, would you lot be so quick to jump to his defence if he was American and we were trying to extradite him here?

 

[rypt]

He should be punished for his crime, I find the notion of people defending him laughable, would you lot be so quick to jump to his defence if he was American and we were trying to extradite him here?

No-one says he shouldn't be punished, but he was on UK soil when he committed the crime and should be tried here under our laws.