Re: Article~Hacker hopes hit internet song will help to beat extradition rap

[Guest guest]

I'm no fan of our US military brass, but I have no sympathy for this

man. He knew what he was doing was wrong. He just didn't think he

would get caught or be extradited. We live in a society where no one

takes responsibility for their wrongful doings. Just look at

criminal murder trials. They search back into their infancy for

something to blame. Now this guy uses his 'Aspergers' as a blame

instrument to avoid having to answer for what he did. I find it sad

that his internet song is so popular because it means so many have

bought into his lame excuse. Sheesh.........you got me going

first thing this morning.....lol. Verleen

>

> Hacker hopes hit internet song will help to beat extradition rap

>

> By Marc Horne

>

>

>

> HE IS the self-confessed computer nerd who faces 60 years in an

American jail after hacking into the Pentagon's computer system.

>

> But now McKinnon has become this year's most unlikely pop star.

>

> McKinnon's online recording 'Only A Fool' has stormed into the

MySpace charts, hitting the top five of most-watched videos alongside

Aguilera, the Pussycat Dolls and Ri

>

>

>

> Campaigners hope the popularity of the song will help in their bid

to halt the Scot's extradition.

>

> The 44-year-old Glaswegian, who suffers from a form of autism,

faces life in a US prison for using his dial-up modem to hack into

military computer systems at the Pentagon and Nasa between 2001 and

2003.

>

> The amateur songwriter managed to gain entry to the most heavily

protected data systems in the world while sitting in the bedroom of

his north London flat.

>

> He became America's most wanted 'cyber-terrorist', was arrested by

specialist UK police and faces being handed over to the US

authorities.

>

> McKinnon has always insisted he had no malicious intent and claimed

he was motivated by his interest in conspiracy theories and a desire

to find classified information about UFOs and aliens. He did,

however, leave messages on US government computers that taunted it

for its warmongering foreign policy.

>

> Despite struggling from depression, McKinnon posted his self-penned

track on MySpace and within 48 hours it had been viewed by more than

100,000 people – taking it to No.5 in the video charts.

>

> McKinnon's melancholy ballad is a tale of survival in the face of

great adversity. The chorus features the lyrics: " Don't stop, don't

say it don't matter/If it ain't easy try harder/Only a fool would let

it go/Don't stop, don't sit and do nothing/If it ain't easy say

something/Only a fool would let it show. "

>

> The equally downbeat video features youngsters trudging around a

bleak inner-city location.

>

> McKinnon was first arrested six years ago, but the Law Lords

rejected his appeal against extradition in August. The UK Government

has fully backed America's attempt to bring the hacker across the

Atlantic for trial.

>

> The programmer, who wants to be tried in Britain, says he will be

treated as a terrorist, with one US attorney stating authorities want

him to " fry " .

>

>

>

> http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/world/Hacker-hopes-hit--

internet.4675449.jp

>

[Guest guest]

Tim, let me amuse you further. I don't see this as a political

issue, although in today's world, I can understand how many have a

political take on most everything. He 'broke' into someplace that

he knew he wasn't suppose to go. Forget that it was a government

agency. Would it make a difference to you if he had hacked into

your bank and stolen your identity? Are you to blame because you

didn't put your money in a safer, more secure place? And is the

hacker blameless because the bank left a door open to him? I am a

homeowner. Should I be blamed because a buglar broke into my

house? Would it be my fault because I didn't buy the best locks and

security systems available? What the Pentagon hacker did was wrong

and he knew it. Now he should face the consequences. I don't feel

sorry for him that some entity is now going to make an example of

him....and go after his nuts. This was the risk that he chose to

take. Verleen

> I am both amused and saddened at the ridiculous take on this case

here,

> the gullibility.

>

> Let's set aside the hacker, the scapegoat.

>

> Do we have the names of the US government staff who's heads are

rolling

> for breaking US security law? That would be a little way to proving

> there really was a breach. No names, the law was not broken.

>

> It is impossible to break in from a public place, that is the law.

This

> is not the movies. Has to be proof against the full might of foreign

> powers such as the Russian Federation, China, etc.

>

> I go further, there should be no access from a public place, this is

> basic security stuff. By implication this security rule has been

broken,

> except I doubt it.

> We have networks here in the UK where it is physically separate

from all

> other systems, no outside connections and tamper proof by design.

> Without a doubt the US will be doing exactly the same, no

connection, no

> breach possible.

>

> I have heard no mention about his breaking into anything secure,

just

> about low grade stuff of little interest. We have however no proof

of

> anything.

>

> I hope his court representatives crucify the US government but in

any

> case will be unfair and closed.

>

> This stuff gets worse... how many hackers have done the same or

worse

> but were out of reach of the US authorities... getting away scot

free.

> Double standards, you bet, that is idiot western governments.

>

> American government are acting as a bully, choose a weak target and

hit it.

>

> An apt response would be leave it to us.

>