The UK has refused to block the extradition of one of its citizens for allegedly hacking into US government computers.
Britain’s High Court ruled last month that Gary McKinnon should be extradited to the United States to be tried for hacking into government computers shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
According to an announcement by British Home Secretary Alan Johnson on Thursday, the government will not intervene in McKinnon’s case.
McKinnon said he was searching for evidence of alien life in US computers. His lawyers claim that the man suffers from a form of autism and extradition might pose a risk to his life.
“The conclusion of the medical report is that if Gary were to be extradited, than suicide is an almost inevitable conclusion,” McKinnon’s lawyer, Karen Todner, told RT.
She added that the authorities are “too scared” not to extradite McKinnon.
“The Americans have made it clear they want him over there, that they want to make an example of him,” Todner said. “They have described him as a terrorist, which frankly is ridiculous, and no one got the courage to stand up to them.”