Gary McKinnon deserves an award from the US authorities rather than extradition to a trial in the US for his alleged hacking activities over 6 years ago. He seems likely to suffer for embarassing those responsible for computer security at the Pentagon and NASA, who should instead be facing disciplinary procedures for their security lapses which left their systems open to a hacker.

McKinnon is obviously an extremely clever hacker, but also seems an ultimately harmless nerd, driven by an obssession to expose the records of UFO sightings that had been hushed up by the authorities.

He faces the threat of imminent fast-track extradition to the US for trial because of one of Blunkett's boobs, which led to the 2003 Extradition Treaty, which was signed in secret without a debate in Parliament. Had it come before the House of Lords (if not the Commons) almost certainly it would have been thrown out, or at least their Lordships would have demanded a reciprocal arrangement - which would have been refected by the US Congress and Senate.

McKinnon was recently diagnosed as suffereing from Asperger's syndrome, and the demonstration outside the US Embassy in London on Sunday afternoon, which was attended by around 50 demonstrators, was organised by the London Autistic Rights Movement. Autism experts say that his offence is a direct result of his obsession and that it shows no malicious intent whatsoever.

His supporters are urging Jacqui Smith to intervene on compassionate grounds and that he be allowed to stand trial in the UK rather than be extradited. McKinnon is now 42, and a US trial, according to a BBC report, could result in a jail sentence of over 45 years.

More about the case at  http://freegary.org.uk and more pictures from the event on My London Diary  http://mylondondiary.co.uk shortly.