Gary McKinnon – our very own hot potato….

Today’s article is a follow up to the “Of mice and men….” article of the 27th November, 2009.
Yesterday there was some little reported good news. A High Court judge has granted Gary McKinnon’s legal team another Judicial Review of the extradition case against him.
Gary McKinnon’s lawyer, Karen Todner, said in a statement: ”I am delighted that the High Court has agreed to grant permission for the judicial review of Alan Johnson’s decision to extradite Gary McKinnon. However, that is countered by the very poor mental state of Mr McKinnon due to the ongoing pressure of these proceedings. I would urge Mr Johnson to review his decision and I appeal to President Obama to withdraw the application.”
The review hearing could commence in April or May and rule on whether the Home Secretary was right to decide that sending him to the US for trial would not breach his human rights.
It is the opinion of the British Gazette that the facts of the matter are these:
That the decision as to grant the U.S. extradition request to extradite Gary McKinnon for actions he committed when in the U.K. (his bedroom in his mother’s house) has been bounced from one authority to another. Gary McKinnon has for nearly eight years now been a political and judicial “hot potato”. One that none of our politicians and judges have wanted to touch.
Lets us cut to the chase. Forget all the legal arguments over human rights. This case can be broken down into three fundamental elements. These are:
1. That Gary McKinnon succeeded in hacking into the most sensitive U.S. computer systems belonging to the defence and intelligence organisations.
2. That Gary McKinnon was ordinarily beyond the reach of U.S. justice.
3. That Gary McKinnon is autistic.
Taken together, it should be of no surprise to anyone that the U.S.A. intelligence services are absolutely desperate to get their hands on Gary McKinnon. Do not think that they are going to give up. They will fight this to the bitter end and apply all possible pressure on the British authorities to accede to their demands. Why ? Vengeance. Are they so consumed with anger that they are prepared to exact such time and trouble when the British authorities all along have been willing to prosecute him in the U.K.? Of course not! It is because the U.S. intelligence services want to be able to thoroughly and at length interrogate Gary McKinnon to glean as much information as is possible from him. What is making the U.S. intelligence agencies so keen is that Gary McKinnon is autistic. Why should this be so important a factor you ask ?
This can best be answered thus:
Question: Do you know where you were and what you were doing at 2:45PM on 28th April, 2001 ? And do you know what day of the week it was? We don’t!!! Bye the way: It was a Saturday.
Understand this: It is quite possible that Gary McKinnon could answer these questions. The autistic mind is quite different from the non autistic mind. Autistic people can exhibit some quite remarkable capabilities – remembering fine detail over long periods of time for example. Despite the revelation that Gary McKinnon’s autism was not immediately diagnosed, do not be so naive as to think that the C.I.A. – perhaps the world’s most well funded and capable intelligence agency would not have found out all about Gary McKinnon and have realised almost from the start that he was probably autistic and thereby were cognisant of the implications.
The one thing that has delayed justice – hopefully British justice – from taking its course has been the feeble cowardice and spineless attitude of British politicians who do not want to annoy their U.S. masters in any way shape or form.
The British Gazette is firmly of the opinion that Gary McKinnon should have his day in court – a British court and the case should be handled expeditiously. If, subsequent to the trial the C.I.A. may seek to question him as to his activities he should be encouraged to acquiesce – on three conditions:
1. That the interview/s take place in the U.K. preferably in surroundings that Gary is familiar with.
2. That officers from either MI5 or MI6 be present throughout the interviews.
3. That Gary is not threatened or coerced in any way.
The British Gazette realises that these conditions will raise the Director of the C.I.A.’s blood pressure considerably!!