Call To Reconsider McKinnon Move

Home Secretary Alan Johnson has been urged to "see the writing on the wall" after computer hacker Gary McKinnon was granted a judicial review.

A High Court judge is now set to rule on whether Mr Johnson was wrong to allow the hacker's extradition to the US.

Tory David Burrowes (Enfield Southgate), Mr McKinnon's MP, called for a Government statement on the decision, saying: "Surely the Home Secretary should see the writing on the wall of the court's decision - that he was wrong to ignore the compelling medical evidence and wrong to allow his extradition given his perilous mental state."

Commons Leader Harriet Harman replied: "I think the situation is that this is now going forward for judicial review."

The exchange took place in the Commons during questions on upcoming parliamentary business.

Mr McKinnon's lawyer Karen Todner said she was "delighted" there would be a judicial review of Mr Johnson's decision. A hearing is likely to take place in April or May.

But she warned that Mr McKinnon, who suffers from a form of autism known as Asperger's syndrome, was in a "very poor mental state" because of stress.

Authorities in the US want Mr McKinnon to stand trial for hacking into top secret military computers. The 43-year-old from Wood Green, north London, says he was looking for evidence of UFOs.

Article credit: Bromsgrove Advertiser U.K.