Asperger’s ‘hacker’ wins right to fight US extradition
HACKING suspect Lauri Love has been told he can appeal against a ruling to extradite him to the US.
The Asperger’s sufferer, who could be sentenced to 99 years in jail if convicted of cyber attacks on agencies including the FBI and Nasa, called the news a ‘blessing’.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd authorised his extradition last year following a court ruling that he should stand trial in the US. The 32-year-old student has now been given the go-ahead to challenge the order in the High Court in what could be a significant ruling for similar cases.
The court said the case raised ‘issues of great importance’ and that there were ‘significant legal grounds’ to be covered. Responding to the news, vicar’s son Mr
‘Values of law in the UK’
Love said: ‘Every day you wake up to some good news is a blessing, and we can’t take any blessings for granted these days.
‘I’m thankful that the High Court has recognised the strength of our grounds for appeal and the great importance of the issues raised by the case. Now it is for the High Court to join us all in asserting the sovereignty, the values, the justice and humanity of law in the UK.’
Mr Love is accused of accessing data from US agencies in online attacks in 2012 and 2013. Along with the FBI and Nasa, he is also said to have hacked into the Federal Reserve central bank, the US Army and the Department of Defence. But authorities across the Atlantic have yet to produce any evidence since requesting his arrest four years ago.
Medical experts have also deemed Mr Love a high suicide risk and have warned that the US prison system is not equipped to support him. Lawyers for the student want him to be tried in Britain and his case has the backing of 114 MPs.
Supporters said the appeal would focus on the issue of the socalled ‘forum bar’, which was introduced to prevent an individual being extradited if they could be tried in the UK.
Mr Love’s legal team claim his case can be held in Britain because he allegedly hacked the databases from his computer at home in Stradishall, Suffolk.
Yesterday, his solicitor, Karen Todner, said: ‘We are delighted about this news for Lauri and will continue to do everything we can to ensure prevention of his extradition to the US.’
No date has been set for the challenge, which will be heard by three judges at London’s High Court. Silkie Carlo of human rights group Liberty, which has also been granted permission to intervene in the appeal in support of Mr Love, said: ‘We hope the High Court will interpret the law to ensure that extradition powers are used to prevent fugitives escaping rather than to send off Britons accused of committing offences here in the UK.’
The Home Office said Miss Rudd had ‘carefully considered all relevant matters’ before signing the extradition order.