Gary McKinnon British hacker Date of Birth: 10.02.1966 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Gary McKinnon
2. Early Life and Career
3. The Search for UFO Information
4. Extradition Case
5. Diagnosis and European Court of Human Rights
6. Current Status

Biography of Gary McKinnon

Gary McKinnon, a notorious Scottish hacker, gained notoriety for hacking into numerous government computer networks, including military and NASA computers. He has been hailed as one of the most harmful hackers of all time. During his legal proceedings, McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Interestingly, in his defense, Gary claimed that he hacked into the networks solely for the purpose of searching for hidden information about UFOs. The extradition case against McKinnon in the United States was long, high-profile, and complicated, but ultimately he was not extradited.

Early Life and Career

Gary McKinnon was born in 1966 in Glasgow, Scotland. After completing his education, he worked as a system administrator. His first encounter with the police occurred in 2002, when his computer was seized after an initial interview on March 19. In November 2002, he was charged in the UK. However, his main charges soon shifted to hacking accusations coming from the United States. McKinnon was accused of hacking into US military computers in 1997 and NASA computers in 2000 and 2001. He used the pseudonym "Solo," and later sources in the US insisted that McKinnon had caused the shutdown of 2,000 computers in the District of Washington's military network, resulting in $800,000 in damages.

The Search for UFO Information

In his defense, Gary McKinnon claimed that his sole interest and purpose was to find information about UFOs that he believed the government was hiding from the public. He also argued that the system's security was weak, as he gained access to one of the computers without passwords or screens. Furthermore, McKinnon was confident that the claimed damages were exaggerated and served as a pretext for his extradition to the US.

Extradition Case

While the US continued to demand McKinnon's extradition, the British government was not in a hurry to hand over their citizen. If extradited, McKinnon faced the possibility of spending 70 years in prison in the US. Gary was willing to face legal consequences in the UK, making every effort to avoid being sent to the States. His hacking activities were traced by the UK National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, which eventually led to his arrest and the confiscation of his computer. Until June 2005, McKinnon remained free but was prohibited from using the internet. Additionally, he had to report to a assigned police officer every evening. In July 2005, he was taken from the street and brought to a police station. While the US demanded his extradition, a campaign to prevent Gary from being extradited was launched in the UK. Many musicians, journalists, public figures, and politicians voiced their support for him.

Diagnosis and European Court of Human Rights

Amid the extradition proceedings, McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism characterized by difficulties in social interaction. The diagnosis was confirmed by three prominent psychiatrists. The next step was to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

Current Status

Currently, Gary McKinnon's fate remains uncertain. However, it is clear that the British authorities are not eager to extradite their citizen to an American prison. In October 2012, Theresa May, the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, denied another extradition request. McKinnon has received support from various individuals and organizations including David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, the rock band Marillion, Sting, the Green Party of England and Wales, Peter Gabriel, and many others.