Chrissie Hynde, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Sir Bob Geldof have joined forces to record Graham Nash’s ‘Chicago’ to highlight the predicament of alleged computer hacker Gary McKinnon, who is under threat of extradition to the US.
In 2002, Gary apparently got into US military computers to search for the existence of UFOs and was subsequently charged by US authorities, who wish to extradite him for trial there.
Under the UK / US Extradition Treaty the US does not have to provide any proof – something that doesn’t apply to US citizens. Therefore, regardless of the possible crime, Gary has been cited as an example of a counter-terrorism law being used against someone who isn’t a terrorist.
In addition, Gary has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of Autism) by eminent psychologist Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, who has said that Gary poses ‘no harm to society’, and there are strong fears that Gary’s fragile personality would not survive US incarceration.
The single is a plea to US President Barack Obama to review Gary’s case, and features lyrics rewritten by Gary’s mother, Janis Sharp, to reflect Gary’s circumstance. It is available as a download with an optional payment from the Free Gary McKinnon website freegarymckinnon.co.uk
Gary’s legal team have now spent seven years fighting extradition, and the latest legal position is that, although two Judicial Reviews have just been announced as not supporting Gary, the team have 28 days to apply for a further appeal. An appeal would probably be heard in September, after which, if necessary, the legal team would take the fight to the newly-created Supreme Court, which might rule by Spring 2010. Gary’s solicitor said ‘Whatever happens, Gary is not going anywhere any time soon’.