Gary McKinnon needs coalition to stand up to US bullying
WikiLeaks cable shows the US rebuffed a sensible solution in the case of the harmless computer hacker
The WikiLeaks revelation that Gordon Brown, when prime minister, made a personal plea to the United States authorities on behalf of the computer hacker, Gary McKinnon, but was casually rebuffed, is the dynamite that should finally blow apart US attempts to extradite McKinnon.
But will it? This will be the government's first real test on the issue of civil liberties and also their first opportunity to show that its has the nerve to stand up to a bullying ally.
But will it? This will be the government's first real test on the issue of civil liberties and also their first opportunity to show that its has the nerve to stand up to a bullying ally.
The US embassy cables reveal that Brown made the very reasonable suggestion that McKinnon should be allowed to plead guilty to hacking and serve his sentence in the UK for an offence that occurred almost a decade ago and caused acute embarrassment, but minimal financial or other harm, to the US. This plea, from an ally that has sacrificed the lives of hundreds of its soldiers to assist the US, is one that could have been easily granted. The fact that it has not yet been is shameful.
Hardly anyone in the US is much exercised about Gary McKinnon, apart from a few nationalistic weirdos whose bravely anonymous contributions periodically appear in the blogosphere. Most of the US public have never heard of him and, when they learn of the circumstances of his case, they tend to be broadly sympathetic. Indeed, members of US military have even congratulated McKinnon on exposing the Pentagon's slack security system of the time.
He is not the alleged Lockerbie bomber. He is a not a threat to anyone. He is a man who was curious about UFOs, explored the US defence department's and Nasa's computer systems, left behind some disparaging remarks and made no attempt to hide or deny his involvement. The fact we are still debating his case today is a monument to the pettiness and vindictiveness of the law officers still pursuing it.
Good for Gordon Brown for making the effort, supported no doubt by his wife, Sarah, who has expressed her sympathy for the case to McKinnon's mother, Janis. Good for David Cameron for also bringing up the case with President Obama. And good for US ambassador to London, Louis Susman, for accurately reporting to Washington that there is "enormous popular sympathy" for McKinnon, whose Asperger's syndrome would make jail in the US a hellish, and possibly, fatal experience. But all this admirable behaviour will count for nothing if the government bows to American arrogance and intransigence and allows the extradition.
The great irony of all this, of course, is that McKinnon would be prosecuted for a security breach that is tiny and irrelevant when compared with the avalanche of material now being released.
Pursuing McKinnon in this post-WikiLeaks world is to add absurdity to absurdity. In fact, the US surely owes Gordon Brown an apology for not treating his private conversations with greater care, not to mention apologies due to William Hague and Alan Duncan. Maybe Britain should be seeking the extradition of US officials for their prurience and slackness?
The home affairs select committee heard further arguments today on McKinnon's behalf. Theresa May, the home secretary, will appear before them on 14 December. Pursuing McKinnon in this post-WikiLeaks world is to add absurdity to absurdity. In fact, the US surely owes Gordon Brown an apology for not treating his private conversations with greater care, not to mention apologies due to William Hague and Alan Duncan. Maybe Britain should be seeking the extradition of US officials for their prurience and slackness?
By then, everyone will have had a proper opportunity to digest the WikiLeaks revelations on the case. Then the answer, spelled out proudly to parliament rather than made behind a closed embassy door, should be clear and unequivocal: no extradition as you won't accept our conditions; we have an adequate legal system and we'll try him here ourselves.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/PJ/KATERINA-PAYNE-INCIDENT.htm
The McCanns refused to hand over Madeleines medical records...with the releasing of the news that JonBenet was an abused child we have to now ask was Madeleine McCann an abused child and if she was why is the might of the British Goverment covering it up ?
