Alleged hacker set for extradition
"On July 4 the Secretary of State (John Reid) signed an order for Mr McKinnon’s extradition to the United States for charges connected with computer hacking," a home office spokesman said.
Using software available for download on the Internet, McKinnon allegedly hacked into computer networks operated by NASA, the US Army, US Navy, Department of Defense and the US Air Force from 2001 to 2002 in what the Virginia state prosecutor said was the "biggest military hack of all time".
McKinnon was indicted in November 2002 by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia on seven counts of computer fraud and related activity, the US justice department said on its website.
"Mr McKinnon had exercised his right to submit representations against return but the Secretary of State did not consider the issues raised availed Mr McKinnon," the home office (interior ministry) spokesman said.
"Mr McKinnon now has the opportunity, within 14 days, to appeal against the decisions of the district judge/Secretary of State." McKinnon told BBC News 24 he was planning to appeal the decision, adding: "I am very worried and feeling very let down by my own government." A British court had decided in May that McKinnon should be extradited, but the case went for a final decision to the home office.
If found guilty, McKinnon faces on each count a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a 250,000-dollar (195,000-euro) fine, the US justice website said at the time.
According to the indictment, between March 2001 and March 2002 McKinnon accessed and damaged without authorization 92 computers belonging to the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Defense and NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and six computers belonging to a number of private businesses, the justice department said. Ultimately, McKinnon caused a network in the Washington D.C. area to shut down, resulting in the total loss of Internet access and e-mail service to approximately 2,000 users for three days, the indictment charged.
The estimated loss to the various military organizations, NASA and the private businesses was approximately 900,000 dollars, it said.
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