Hacker fears trip to Guantanamo

A British man on trial for hacking computer systems belonging to the Pentagon, Nasa and America's Army and Navy says he fears he will be sent to Guantanamo Bay if he is sent to the US.

Gary McKinnon, from Wood Green in London, has denied charges that he caused $700,000 (£400,000).

His lawyers argued that the US Government planned to have its revenge on McKinnon for the security embarrassment caused by the breach.

"The US government wants to extract some kind of administrative revenge because he exposed their security systems as being as weak and helpless as they were," said defence lawyer Edmund Lawson.

America is trying to extradite McKinnon to have him tried on US soil and says it has assured the Briton he will be tried in a federal court.

Mark Summers, who was speaking on behalf of the US government, said the US had never broken a promise before and the court should not believe it would do that in this case.

Bow Street Magistrates' Court remanded McKinnon on bail until 10 May, when the extradition ruling will be announced.