No mercy for Gary McKinnon: As Obama prepares for UK visit, his law chief insists U.S. will not bend on extradition

President Obama’s top law officer last night dealt a bitter blow to computer hacker Gary McKinnon by insisting that he must face trial in a U.S. court.

Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General, vowed to ‘take all of the necessary steps’ to have Gary – who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome – extradited and ‘held accountable for the crimes that he committed’.

Gary, 45, and his thousands of supporters had been hoping for a breakthrough in his case when Mr Obama visits the UK later this month.

Ten-year nightmare: Gary with his mum Janis who has written an open letter to President Obama

His mother Janis Sharp had written an open letter to the President pleading with him to end ten years of torment.

However, it appears the U.S. has made its decision before Mr Obama even sets foot on British soil.

The Americans are demanding the extradition of Gary despite medical experts warning he is likely to attempt suicide if sent to the U.S.

Mr Holder told ITV’s London Tonight: ‘McKinnon is a person who committed serious crimes resulting in about $1million worth of damages in the United States.

‘There has been a review by seven judges here in the UK who made the determination that his extradition was appropriate.

‘The previous Home Secretary made the determination that his extradition was appropriate.’



Unrelenting: Eric Holder

But Gary’s mother said Mr Holder’s attitude was shocking. She called on the Government to halt the extradition.

Miss Sharp told the Mail: ‘I’m quite frankly shocked by the response of the U.S. Attorney General.

‘Britain needs to see the compassionate face of America that we had all expected to see when Obama was elected.

‘Britain stands side by side America in everything they do, including sending our young men to die in Afghanistan.

‘If America asked our Prime Minister not to extradite an American, David Cameron would instantly agree to America’s request.

‘However, we all know that America wouldn’t ask, they would just refuse to extradite, in the same way they refused to extradite Irish-Americans accused of terrorist offences to Britain.’

She added: ‘The time has come for our Government to show their compassion and to assert their authority and to simply refuse to extradite.

‘Pre-election, David Cameron and Nick Clegg had both said that Gary can and must be tried in the UK.’

Last July, Mr Obama gave fresh hope to Gary, who faces a jail sentence of up to 60 years if he is forced to stand trial in the U.S. for hacking into Pentagon and Nasa computers in 2001 searching for evidence of ‘little green men’.

He promised to find an ‘appropriate solution’ after Mr Cameron raised the plight of the computer hacker on his first visit to the White House.

Home Secretary Theresa May agreed to stall the extradition last year, saying she wanted to ensure the hacker was treated fairly.

Since the Mail launched a campaign to have Gary tried in Britain the Government has agreed to review the controversial 2003 Extradition Act. Gary’s mother is currently at loggerheads with the Home Office over the choice of an independent expert to reassess her son’s health.

Peers last month demanded an immediate end to Gary’s decade of ‘psychological torture’.

Lord Maginnis raised the case in the House of Lords after describing his treatment during the extradition process as ‘unbelievable and unforgivable’.