Gary McKinnon Loses High Court Extradition Appeal

Reformed British hacker, Gary Mc Kinnon, has lost the battle against his extradition to the US after the High Court ruled that the process should be allowed to go forward.

Lawyers for the Briton - who has up to 28 days to appeal - have already confirmed that they may take the course to the US Supreme court after Lord Justice Stanley Burnton and Mr Justice Wilkie dismissed McKinnon's judicial review during a hearing in London.

"Gary is clearly someone who is not equipped to deal with the American penal system, and there is clear evidence that he will suffer a mental breakdown if extradited," Karen Todner, McKinnon's attorney, said in a news release.

McKinnon benefited from a massive campaign orchestrated by national newspaper, the Daily Mail and has received support from a number of high profile celebrities including the former Liberal Democrat MP and Independent Reviewer of this Labour Government's anti-terrorism legislation, Rt. Hon. Lord Carlile of Berriew QC.

The Briton - who suffers from a mild form of Aspersger's syndrome - is facing a fast track extradition process to the USA where he could face up to 60 years in prisons after been accused of hacking by the US government.

He pleaded guilty to unlawfully penetrating 90 US military computers from the UK in his quest for clues about extraterrestrial life, causing, according to the US authorities, around $1 million worth of damage.