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Clock's ticking for hacker McKinnon

14 days to prepare for last ditch review

15 October 2008 11:40 GMT / By Katie Scott

The legal options left for British-born hacker Gary McKinnon seem to be running out.

McKinnon has been fighting extradiction to the US where he is accused of hacking into 97 NASA and military machines - and even of breaking the system - an accusation the Americans claim is on a par with an act of terrorism.

McKinnon had argued that he would not get a fair trial in the United States where officials are apparently out to see him "fry", and also claimed he hacked the system just to find information on UFOs.

But in August, the House of Lords rejected his appeal, and now he has been given just 14 days to prepare a case for judicial review.

This latest move follows a failed plea by McKinnon's lawyer to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, pleading for McKinnon to be allowed to stand trial and serve any prison sentence in the UK.

McKinnon's appeal to the European Court of Human Rights was also turned down last month.

Reports online suggest that he could face extradiction within a fortnight.

This latest, and possibly last appeal, is being taken to the Administrative Court, which does have the power to quash previous rulings.

If extradited McKinnon faces up to 60 years in jail.

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