Gary McKinnon faces life sentence for hacking into Pentagon

(2 replies) #1 +M2Ys4U on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:19

He should be tried in a UK court under the UK law that he broke whilst residing in the UK. He didn't do any damage to the US government, well, except the damage he did to their pride.

#1.1 TonyLock on 29 Jul 2008 - 10:35

(M2Ys4U said @ #1)

He should be tried in a UK court under the UK law that he broke whilst residing in the UK. He didn't do any damage to the US government, well, except the damage he did to their pride.

Legally, that is correct but you know how we are politacally connected to the US? We are affectivly their bitches. Think about is, not even Blair wanted to go in to Iraq (ask his father-in-law and see) but...

#1.2 wrack on 30 Jul 2008 - 06:26

(M2Ys4U said @ #1)

He should be tried in a UK court under the UK law that he broke whilst residing in the UK. He didn't do any damage to the US government, well, except the damage he did to their pride.

What pride?

#2 n_K on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:22

This guy is a legend, don't send him to prison, pay him money, get him a good job and give him a damn top notch award

(5 replies) #3 ivanz on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:23

The person responsible for security should be in jail...not this guy. They should thank him for getting there before a terrorist or other governments hacked in first.

#3.1 Tikitiki on 29 Jul 2008 - 00:29

'nuff said

#3.2 Sam Symons Live on 29 Jul 2008 - 09:07

Damn straight. Can't blame him...I'm damn interested to know about Aliens too.

#3.3 +Dakkaroth on 29 Jul 2008 - 10:41

I agree.

They should have him to try and hack into it again and again so they can improve the security. In fact, make it his punishment. Free labor ftw, no?

#3.4 Doudar on 29 Jul 2008 - 18:42

(ivanz said @ #3)

The person responsible for security should be in jail...not this guy. They should thank him for getting there before a terrorist or other governments hacked in first.

So by your warped logic if you pop out for an hour, leave a window open and get burgled then it is you who should go to jail and not burglar.

#3.5 Liquidfox on 30 Jul 2008 - 21:47

(Doudar said @ #3.4)

(ivanz said @ #3)

The person responsible for security should be in jail...not this guy. They should thank him for getting there before a terrorist or other governments hacked in first.

So by your warped logic if you pop out for an hour, leave a window open and get burgled then it is you who should go to jail and not burglar.

And by your warped logic, you compare burglary to hacking into government computers. The home owner would be penalized by means of having to claim on their home insurance...

The US government should thank him for revealing how useless they are at protecting what they deem "Classified" information...

#4 EduardValencia on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:23

Oh man,for us it's another fallen heroe ,let's pray for him

The truth must be known!

(3 replies) #5 ir0nw0lf on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:26

This does bring up a huge issue that is not helped by the fact that this occurred over the internet. Should the offender be tried in the country he/she committed the crime or the country where the destination of the crime was? Internet and International law need to play serious catch-up. The fact that he didn't do any damage per se is only relevant into how deeply he should be charged/accountable, the fact that he (allegedly) did hack the system is charge enough for most people.

I do wonder how this would all be going if it was all reversed...

#5.1 +M2Ys4U on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:47

extradition arrangements say that a certain amount of damages have to occur for extradition. Conveniently for the US govt, they're claiming exactly that amount, even though it's clear from the testimony so far no damage was caused.

Also, it's a one-way street. The US refuses to have an equivalent treaty to extradite people to the UK.

#5.2 Rolith on 29 Jul 2008 - 09:00

Of course they're only going to claim the damage that is needed was caused, US government can't afford to say "Oh look at all this damage caused, look how far and wide it was spread." So they documented and released only enough information to prove he deserved extradition.

Also, "Testimony" of the guy who is fighting extradition dosen't really, ya know, hold much water.

#5.3 +mrbester on 29 Jul 2008 - 11:52

It's worse than that. US doesn't have to provide proof for extradition, just possibility. UK has to provide incontrovertible proof. This crap should be repealed.
For those who say "boo hoo, your fault" consider yourselves lucky.

#6 Swordnyx on 28 Jul 2008 - 22:27

I've read another article on this, and they claim that if this sentence goes through, perhaps the government was hiding something this past 60 years. Also, some retired astronaut of Apollo 14 or something said that there are aliens all along and also suggests the UFO/Alien contact thing..

All this and other few recent stories lead me to believe that there is some phenomena (extraterrestrial or not) that the government is hiding, and we need to know what it is soon or people will keep doing what this dude did.

This is really creeping me out..

But hey maybe in 30 years we will live in Coruscant or something lol.

(1 reply) #7 ronchie02 on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:09

1. He broke laws and should go to jail.

2. Where he should be charged is, as a previous poster said, really up in the air. The law is WAY behind technology. You can't murder someone from oversees, but you can hack into things. In my opinion, though, he should be tried in the US since you could argue his "presence" was in the US moreorlesskindasorta (but then what happens when a foreign host is used and someone hacks that? Like I said, law is behind.)

3. Boo hoo the US allegedly doesn't have a similar extradition treaty with the UK. That's the UK's fault for accepting a treaty and not making sure they weren't gonna get boned in the process. Sucks, but not our problem.

#7.1 macrosslover on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:21

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I think that's a good way of putting everything.

#8 +Blaine on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:19

I think he should be tried under UK law. At most, give him 1 year of jail. A life sentence is going a bit overboard.

(1 reply) #9 InsaneNutter on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:25

“Gary McKinnon will be 72 hours from learning whether he is on the fast track to a 60-year prison sentence”
If he gets 60 years in prison that’s ridiculous, from what I read in the back page news of Neowin the computers he accessed had no security on them what so ever!

Maybe the person who left them computers so insecure should get 120 years in prison... I’m sure you would get less time for a more serious crime...

#9.1 +acxz on 29 Jul 2008 - 09:39

Murder a whole family over here and you'll get 50 years, which kinda puts it in perspective.

#10 thealexweb on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:27

This is a classic example in what a bad state the America Justice system is, in the UK we are more realistic, e.g. no death sentences and something like this would get no more than six months, a year at a real push.

#11 Obraxis on 28 Jul 2008 - 23:52

Life for breaking into non-password protected computer systems.....he should simply get the UK max of 6 months, and the server admins should be fired or put on trial for lax security as someone like a terrorist could easily get into those systems and do more damage than simply snoop around.

#12 PermaSt0ne on 29 Jul 2008 - 01:12

the US is trying so hard to get him back....he totally found proof of aliens

#13 Narutorocker on 29 Jul 2008 - 01:51

Dam wish I could be that guys friend!

(1 reply) #14 belto on 29 Jul 2008 - 06:08

looks and seems like the American Top Secret crap is not so Top Secret. Maybe it the U.S. Governemt that should be extradited to their Virtual Court and be sentenced to a life term!! I personally feel that the world be a much better place at the end. this is coming from an American. what about going after the it department or maybe it was the FBI??

#14.1 Eis on 30 Jul 2008 - 00:41

Fantasize all you want, they won't go away unless you actually do something about it.

Surprising that just complaining about it on forums or signing internet petitions doesn't do jack **** isn't it?

#15 +Harlem39s Finest on 29 Jul 2008 - 07:31

why was the top secret information un-encrypted and available online ?

#16 Ayrik on 29 Jul 2008 - 09:39

This shows what a gaint gap there is between the real law and the digital law.
Simple because there barely is any >

This guy should get a job. The Server admins should be fired.

#17 TonyLock on 29 Jul 2008 - 10:43

Gordon Brown should grow some balls and tell George W Bush to F off.

(1 reply) #18 ajua on 29 Jul 2008 - 11:08

Having that guy to serve 60 years is ridiculous.

It seems that we are better off committing murder, robbery...

He should have trial in UK, not US because every country has the obligation to see after its citizens (law breakers or not). In this case, the US will treat him worst than a murderer.

#18.1 +mrbester on 29 Jul 2008 - 11:47

Which is also a possible defence from ECHR: there is no justification for locking someone up for 60 years for accessing (or not) information when capital crimes get less.
How long did Nick Leeson get? He took down a bank worth billions. I'll bet you a million dollars it wasn't anywhere close to 60 years.

(1 reply) #19 selphj on 29 Jul 2008 - 12:35

You guys actually read the article? He was offered a deal to only serve like 3 years in the UK. Apparently he told them off so they are going after him full throttle. He asked for it. And he was stupid. He hacked from his own computer with his own IP address.

#19.1 +witalit on 29 Jul 2008 - 12:40

(selphj said @ #19)

You guys actually read the article? He was offered a deal to only serve like 3 years in the UK. Apparently he told them off so they are going after him full throttle. He asked for it. And he was stupid. He hacked from his own computer with his own IP address.

Wow and I was about to say good on this guy but wtf. 3 Years I would do that straight up, f**king hell man 60 years is a joke.

#20 WAR-DOG on 29 Jul 2008 - 15:18

I think it's time to smash pentagon, just to remind them who rules the internet

#21 +Echilon on 29 Jul 2008 - 16:24

To be honest, sentencing someone because your security is inadequate is like putting a pot of gold in your front garden with no fence. He lives in the UK anyway, so how could he possibly be tried in a US court?

(1 reply) #22 leesmithg on 29 Jul 2008 - 17:50

Tell the USA to get stuffed.

He did the crime, well if it is a crime on British soil so our laws come into play.

If he gets community service then so be it!

#22.1 Eis on 30 Jul 2008 - 00:50

"Oh the US is so violent! Oh they're just a bunch of jerks! Oh I can't take how much crap we have to put up from them! Insult them and burn them to the ground!"

Hypocrisy? If you want peace and tranquility in the world, try using it. Oh wait, no, be absolute dicks about everything American that you possibly can, because they we'll definitely want to come to terms with you.

#23 Airlink on 29 Jul 2008 - 22:30

The americans should just hire him to help secure the pentagon's network. He obviously has the l33t skills.

#24 wrack on 30 Jul 2008 - 06:31

If so worried about ppl sneaking into your systems then take 'em off the grid.

#25 CheeseFart on 30 Jul 2008 - 07:34

so did he actually find anything?

#26 xSuRgEx on 30 Jul 2008 - 10:28

Hes lost his appeal to the law lords

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7532713.stm

#27 crispy78 on 31 Jul 2008 - 04:38

As an American I think we should give it up and let the Brits prosecute him. 3 years max is fine; this was clearer not terrorism not matter what the chicken littles in Washington think.

#28 mateussszzz1 on 01 Jan 2009 - 20:20

have a nice day.........

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