Gary McKinnon’s supporters mark ‘decade of torment’ with visit to Downing Street

  • Gary McKinnon’s family battling against his extradition after he hacked into Nasa and Pentagon
  • Doctors warned Aspergers sufferer could kill himself if extradited to the U.S.

By
Michael Seamark

Last updated at 10:47 AM on 8th February 2012


Gary McKinnon, pictured in 2009 with his mother Janis Sharp, has been battling extradition for a decade

Gary McKinnon, pictured in 2009 with his mother Janis Sharp, has been battling extradition for a decade

Gary McKinnon’s supporters meet at 10 Downing Street today to mark a’nightmare’ decade since his arrest for computer hacking.

His family have been battling against extradition after the Asperger’s sufferer hacked into NASA and Pentagon computers looking for evidence of aliens.

The Americans are demanding Gary be extradited despite medical experts warning he could kill himself if sent to the U.S.

His mother Janis Sharp said last night:’Ten years have gone by and still Gary lives in a nightmare world – unable to control the terror that consumes his every waking moment.

‘This endless pressure on an Aspergic man with severe mental health issues is barbaric. And for what?

‘A foolish act that has caused embarrassment to the US.

‘Where has our sense of proportion gone?’

Mrs Sharp will be handing in poems at Downing Street received after Gary’s supporters set up the Poetic Justice Campaign marking his ten years of’fear and torment.’

Mrs Sharp, who will be joined by long-time supporter Trudie Styler, Gary’s MP David Burrowes, former Tory shadow Home Secretary David Davis and Lord Maginnis said: ‘In March David Cameron is visiting President Obama to discuss our “ special relationship”. What an opportunity for our PM to finally announce an end to Gary’s ordeal.

‘This act alone would prove that the “special relationship” has true meaning and is one of mutual respect.’

Bob Geldof is just one of many of Gary McKinnon's high-profile supporters

Bob Geldof is just one of many of Gary McKinnon’s high-profile supporters

Last month the High Court ruled that Gary’s legal nightmare must be decided by the summer

Home Secretary Theresa May agreed to delay his extradition in 2010 and is examining psychiatric evidence before she makes her final decision.

Lord Justice Richards, sitting with Mr Justice Cranston, said this new medical report must be handed to the McKinnon legal team within 28 days.

Gary’s lawyers will have a similar period to respond before Mrs May decides his fate.

The judges said they were fixing the hearing date for July ‘to concentrate minds’ and Edward Fitzgerald QC, appearing for Gary – whose 46th birthday is on Friday – said he hoped Mrs May would now block the extradition.

Scores of celebrities and politicians from all parties have voiced their support for Gary since the Daily Mail launched its An Affront to British Justice campaign to stop his extradition in 2009.

Rock stars Sir Bob Geldof, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Sting, singers Chrissie Hynde and Peter Gabriel and actress Julie Christie all voiced their support to keep Gary in this country.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Simple solution, just change his name to Qatada.

We cant deport a terrorist who actually wants to kill people but somebody who has done no physical harm can be extradited to the USA? I give up.
The British people should blockade any attempt to remove Gary McKinnon from the UK, time the us British grew some balls.

The problem Gary has he is not a terrorist, so the government is not interested in protecting his Human Rights , oh and I forgot he is also British.

HE CANNOT BE DEPORTED. I have no connection with any of this but it is blatantly obvious that the only reason the USA wants him there is to cover their embarrassment that their computers were so easily hacked into. He is not a danger to the USA or England and he has an emotional developmental problem. For goodness sake, just refuse once and for all to deport him and let him and his family get on with their lives which must already be difficult given his problems

McKinnon is a total plonker and I’m sick of hearing about him as I suspect are 99% of the British public. Get him across the pond to face the music as he justly deserves to do and lets be done with it!

The supporters are not the great thinkers of the world but more like the odd ones who are not in touch with public opinion. This man made threats whilst hacking into computers. This was not a search for little green men. Then he gets himself a medical condition to try to prevent paying for his crime. He should be shipped out and long before now.

Pit he wasnt a terror suspect ,then the Euro judges would never let him be extradited to America.

If Gary, looking for information on UFOs got into their computers, then how many others with more sinister motives have done the same. The US Government should be thanking him for showing them how useless their security is.

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