U.S. authorities consider the most dangerous hacker to be a man who searched the Internet for 'green' brethren
The Americans accuse McKinnon, known online as Solo, of repeatedly breaking into the computer networks of the U.S. Defense and Space departments between 2001 and 2002. The U.S. prosecution states that one of Solo's attacks on Pentagon networks resulted in the failure of computers at the Naval Weapons Station Earle. Their functionality was restored only a month later. The Briton also paralyzed all military computers in Washington for a day.
In addition, the Americans hold McKinnon responsible for hacking the network at Fort Myer base in Virginia. As a result of the attack, information about 1,300 local users was deleted from the servers. At the same time, a number of system files were deleted and secret data were stolen, and Trojan programs were found on several computers.
According to U.S. prosecution representatives, data restoration cost the government $700,000. Moreover, all these actions harmed national security and are regarded as terrorism. In the U.S., the hacker faces up to 70 years in prison.
McKinnon, whom Washington considers the most dangerous hacker since the advent of computer networks, claims he was looking for evidence of aliens and UFOs. He admits to hacking computers but denies doing so for selfish motives. The hacker is convinced that his actions only strengthened U.S. national security. He argues that by his actions he demonstrated to the U.S. military how poorly their networks are protected. At the same time, McKinnon asserts that he caused no harm to U.S. national security.
Gary McKinnon sought to have the trial in his home country. However, according to prosecutors, virtually all evidence was gathered on U.S. soil, so the trial should take place there.
In 2008, McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Lawyers believed that the court did not take into account the health condition of their client, and therefore demanded a review of the case. Later they stated that McKinnon's extradition to the U.S. could cause a mental breakdown and lead to suicide.
The defendant's mother, Janis Sharp, says she is worried about her 43-year-old son's health. She appealed to U.S. President Barack Obama to help her son. 'Obama will not want the first person extradited for computer hacking to be a person with Asperger syndrome, a person who believes in UFOs,' the BBC quotes the mother of the accused hacker.
According to Lenta.ru, many celebrities also oppose Gary McKinnon's extradition. Among them are members of Boyzone, Sting, London mayor Boris Johnson, actress Jane Asher, and former Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. Whether this will help the hunter of 'little green men' depends only on the U.S. president.