Terry Waite, the Voice of Reason

Terry Waite has stepped up in support of Gary McKinnon, the hacker faced with extradition to the US for trial. I'm glad someone that has some gravitas has spoken out on his behalf. This really an injustice that shouldn't happen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7946393.stm

Now I've been a supporter of this case all along. I don't see any benefit in extraditing Mr McKinnon to the US at all. If he's a UK citizen and he comitted the crime here in the UK, then he should be tried in the UK. We have an adequate court system here so extradition isn't necessary.

I have an 18-year-old son with autism. I have a rough idea how an autistic's brain works. Although autism works on many levels, the best way I can describe aspergers syndrome it is that the person is normal, apart from holes in their personality. My son is the same. He appears normal but is bloody frustrating when you come up against those personality holes. You are dealing with the same person, but on certain things my son acts 18, in others he hasn't developed past 6.

If Mr McKinnon is the same, he shouldn't be tried in any court. If he's anything like my son, I'm sure he wasn't aware how serious the offence would be. I know my son certainly wouldn't comprehend until the Police booted in the door and hauled him off to jail and even then would have difficulty.

Given the track record of this roll-over-and-beg government, I really think he'll be extradited, to the detriment of justice in this country.