McKinnon's last appeal has failed • Hacker News Board

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#11

Post by theblackbox » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 11:55 AM UTC

swombat wrote: post #2

Very disappointing indeed. I shudder to think that this guy (who is quite obviously pretty harmless, even though he also clearly did something stupid) will have to face the full barbaric apparatus of the US anti-terrorist justice system. For all we know, maybe he'll end up in Guantanamo Bay.

I don't doubt he is heading the way of the Intelligence "fusion" centers[1] and some form of interrogation. This is an absolute shambles and shows just how inept and yellow the UK home office are. Not only are they going to hand this guy over in blatant disregard to his Human rights, they are refusing to publicise documents surrounding the Iraq war investigation - mostly due to very subtle pressure levied by US military in regard to "intelligence sharing" (same thing used in this G.M. case). And as a final insult they /demand/ that the UK population bend over and take it when it comes to the National ID scheme, which has been proven time and again to be totally against public consensus....

[1] http://wikileaks.org/wiki/The_spy_who_billed_me_twice

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#12

Post by smithjchris » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 12:05 PM UTC

There should be no extradition for British nationals. It should be handled according to our law.

The US already have a seriously bad reputation when it comes to handling things like this so I'm sure he'll end up bagged and tagged within a year.

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#13

Post by biohacker42 » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 1:20 PM UTC

The US government really really wants to make an example of an aspie UFO believer. Just like they like to throw the book at other mostly harmless kids, Adrian Lamo comes to mind.

I'm disgusted and outraged but can't think of anything I could do that wouldn't be pointless other then making me feel like I did something.

Writing letters to my representatives/senators is not going to make them do diddly squat in defense of a "military hacker", that's the stuff political attack adds would love as fodder.

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#14

Post by wildjim » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 1:25 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #8

gaius wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We only have his word that he was "looking for UFOs". Just sayin'.

True. Even so he should have never been able to do what he did. All he should have found were very securely locked doors, alarmbells going off all over the place and a very stern talking to. We're not talking about the website of the local football club here, it's the military. If a foreign nation with a large budget and a concerted effort would be able to crack it that would be embarrassing but at least you could ha…

"If a foreign national..."

Do you really mean "if"? It won't even be "when", it will be "for some time, now".

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#15

Post by mynameishere » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 2:31 PM UTC

Not sure why everyone is so shocked. Breaking into military computers = you deal with the consequences.

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#16

Post by FiveFiftyOne » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 2:34 PM UTC

I am the only one who thinks that if you think you're smart enough to do something you know is illegal, then you should be big enough to handle what comes your way when you get caught? Bollocks to his mental state and his frailty and the other excuses being trotted out on his behalf. He knew he was doing wrong when he committed the hack, and he should grow the necessaries to deal with the consequences now. Too late to cry about.

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#17

Post by jodrellblank » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 2:51 PM UTC

mynameishere wrote: post #15

Not sure why everyone is so shocked. Breaking into military computers = you deal with the consequences.

The contention is between his claim that he's a bumbling computer nerd who accessed open unsecured computers and did no damage, and the military claim that he perpetrated the biggest military computer hack ever, rendered 300 computers unusable after 9/11 (?!), deleted weapons logs and caused $700,000 damages.

Which consequences are you ranting that he should deal with, exactly?

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#18

Post by mynameishere » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 2:53 PM UTC

jodrellblank wrote: post #17

mynameishere wrote: post #15

Not sure why everyone is so shocked. Breaking into military computers = you deal with the consequences.

The contention is between his claim that he's a bumbling computer nerd who accessed open unsecured computers and did no damage, and the military claim that he perpetrated the biggest military computer hack ever, rendered 300 computers unusable after 9/11 (?!), deleted weapons logs and caused $700,000 damages. Which consequences are you ranting that he should deal with, exactly?

I'm not ranting. FYI, "bumbling" is not a legal defense.

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#19

Post by designtofly » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 2:58 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #2

Very disappointing indeed. I shudder to think that this guy (who is quite obviously pretty harmless, even though he also clearly did something stupid) will have to face the full barbaric apparatus of the US anti-terrorist justice system. For all we know, maybe he'll end up in Guantanamo Bay.

Pretty harmless? I'll admit that I don't know much about this case, but this bit seems to indicate otherwise:

"Mr McKinnon admits that he hacked into 97 US computers from his bedroom in north London between 2001 and 2002 and left a message on one machine saying: "I will continue to disrupt at the highest levels.""

Two years, almost 100 computer systems, taunting and threats.. that doesn't sound so harmless to me.

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5...

Re: McKinnon's last appeal has failed

#20

Post by jodrellblank » Fri, Jul 31, 2009, 3:12 PM UTC

mynameishere wrote: post #18

jodrellblank wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The contention is between his claim that he's a bumbling computer nerd who accessed open unsecured computers and did no damage, and the military claim that he perpetrated the biggest military computer hack ever, rendered 300 computers unusable after 9/11 (?!), deleted weapons logs and caused $700,000 damages. Which consequences are you ranting that he should deal with, exactly?

I'm not ranting. FYI, "bumbling" is not a legal defense.

Then you aren't making much point at all. He's not arguing to be let off, he's arguing to be tried in the UK instead of being extradited to the US. Which means he is going to "deal with the consequences", so your comment says ... nothing at all.

What it does do, though, is post the subtext "I wasn't shocked because I'm awesome, and he's a big girl's blouse who needs to grow up into a real man like me", like any generic internet tough guy post. i.e. a rant about how weak and pathetic you think other people are (compared to you). Basically.