Free Gary Mckinnon

*benjikan* · 08-17-2008, 01:38 PM

He should have his trial in the UK and not the US.
Free Gary McKinnon - or at least try him in the UK
YouTube - Project Camelot interviews Gary McKinnon

*Tom S.* · 08-17-2008, 02:20 PM

I don't agree since he broke US laws. If he had been an American citizen and caused havoc with England's military computer system, I'd feel the same way - send him to England and let them hang him in the Tower of London, or what ever they do over there.

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

jamonation · 08-17-2008, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tom S.

I don't agree since he broke US laws. If he had been an American citizen and caused havoc with England's military computer system, I'd feel the same way - send him to England and let them hang him in the Tower of London, or what ever they do over there.

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Or do it with your country's body of laws and jurisprudence in mind if you simply must. You might even be tried in your country and then extradited.

He didn't cause much havoc either, just caught the wrong people with their pants down at the wrong time.

I for one think that jurisdiction is a good thing and that the rest of the world need not play by one country's rules -- especially considering how utterly preposterous many of that country's laws are to begin with.

*straightshooter* · 08-17-2008, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by jamonation

I for one think that jurisdiction is a good thing and that the rest of the world need not play by one country's rules -- especially considering how utterly preposterous many of that country's laws are to begin with.

I agree you do have some stupid laws up there but I guess when your brain is frozen half the year....

The question is not whether the laws that were broken are good, bad or indifferent. What is at issue is not even if he knew that what he was doing was illegal since "ignorance of the law is no excuse" is a pretty much universal constant. Basically he committed the crimes on British soil so if he's going to be tried and do jail time, do it there so my tax dollars don't have to support this incompetent and insignificant bozo while he's in prison.

Red · 08-17-2008, 04:10 PM

More important to me, the computers he hacked into were located in the US, so that is where the crime occurred. Similarly if someone made a letter or mail bomb and send it to another country, are the crimes associated with the explosion committed in the country where it blew up or just in the country where the bomb was made?

In any event it seems a bit hypocritical, every country in the world would seek to extradite a person they believe hacked into their national defense system, and especially in this case where the UK has refused to prosecute.

I'm sure many believe it was not a crime because he committed it against the US. While unfortunate, opinions based on such reasoning cannot be viewed as objective and should be disregarded.

*Tom S.* · 08-17-2008, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by jamonation

Or do it with your country's body of laws and jurisprudence in mind if you simply must. You might even be tried in your country and then extradited.

He didn't cause much havoc either, just caught the wrong people with their pants down at the wrong time.

I for one think that jurisdiction is a good thing and that the rest of the world need not play by one country's rules -- especially considering how utterly preposterous many of that country's laws are to begin with.

The one account I read said it caused $70,000 or $700,000 damage - I forgot which, but hey, the Pentagon's got lots of money laying around. Besides, England still owes us for a few tanks and things we sent over a while back.

Just be glad George is leaving office before he decided to invade you...

jamonation · 08-17-2008, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Tom S.

The one account I read said it caused $70,000 or $700,000 damage - I forgot which, but hey, the Pentagon's got lots of money laying around. Besides, England still owes us for a few tanks and things we sent over a while back.

Perhaps in terms of system administrator time spent patching and setting passwords on systems (apparently some didn't even have one set). Physical damage I doubt. I am very interested in seeing the government's figures as to how they calculate the amount of "damage" he caused.

Essentially, the U.S. need a scape goat to take the fall for their lax security practices. The only terror that he might have caused is panic by a few of the military's system administrators who would have to justify their negligence to their superiors. But then, that's just my untenable opinion.

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Just be glad George is leaving office before he decided to invade you...

Ideology knows no boundaries, and our current Prime Minister gives me the willies. Perhaps because he is so concerned with who can do what and when with mine