Brits Hold Up Hacker's Extradition

American authorities keen to get their hands on a man accused of the biggest military hack in history are going to have to wait. British authorities have "stopped the clock" on the extradition of Gary McKinnon while lawyers examine new medical evidence, say officials. McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, is accused of hacking into dozens of military computers. McKinnon, 43, says he was searching for information on UFOs.

McKinnon's supporters complain that being sent to a maximum-security prison in the US would destroy the accused hacker's health and violate his human rights. He faces up to 60 years in jail if convicted. "I have to ensure that his human rights are being respected," said Britain's home secretary. "It's that new medical evidence that I will be looking at very carefully." (More Iraq stories.)