UK: Decision to extradite Gary McKinnon to United States
British authorities decided to extradite Gary McKinnon to the United States. The Scottish systems administrator faced accusations of hacking military computers. American prosecutors sought a prison term of up to seventy years.
Background
Following legal hearings in the United Kingdom, authorities ruled in July 2006 that Gary McKinnon should be extradited to face trial in the United States. The decision stemmed from accusations that he perpetrated large-scale intrusions into military computer systems. Prosecutors indicated they would seek a sentence of up to seventy years imprisonment if convicted. The case attracted significant attention due to McKinnon's subsequent claims that his hacking activities had uncovered evidence of UFO cover-ups and references to non-terrestrial officers within military networks.