UFO hacker’s mum told: ‘Cameron will press Obama over extradition threat’

The mother of UFO hacker Gary McKinnon has revealed David Cameron will raise the issue of her son’s extradition to the USA, when he meets President Obama this month.

Janis Sharp with her son Gary McKinnon

Janis Sharp, who lives in Brookmans Park, has been battling against her son’s extradition for 10 years, but she said she was hopeful as Home Affairs Select Committee chair Keith Vaz had assured her the Prime Minister would discuss Mr McKinnon’s case with the President, when the two leaders meet in the USA on March 13.

She told the WHT: “Keith Vaz questioned Dominic Grieve about Gary and about the extradition treaty and reminded him of his pre-election quotes including that our extradition laws with the U.S were a mess.”

She also said she thought “the Government intend to do right by Gary”.

“After all he has effectively served a 10 year sentence of mental torture and has been under virtual house arrest and his mental health has deteriorated, and surely that is punishment enough”, she added.

Janis Sharp

The issue has been brought into sharp focus with the extradition of British businessman Christopher Tappin to the USA last month.

On Mr Tappin’s case and his wife’s appearance at the Home Affairs Select Committee on February 28, Ms Sharp said: “Christopher Tappin’s wife Elaine Tappin gave evidence and she was crying and it made me cry.”

She added: “We need an end to this torture and Chris Tappin must get bail and a fast trial or hearing or plea bargain, so that he can be brought back home to the UK as fast as possible.”

Mr Tappin’s case and the inequality of the UK/US extradition treaty was also taken up by outspoken Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens, who branded it: “the sort made between colonial powers and their powerless vassals, or between conquerors and their victims”.

President Barack Obama

Sentiments Ms Sharp said she agreed with “completely”.

Mr Hitchens told the WHT: “My two main concerns are a) the inequality of the treaty, which needs to be redressed and b) the appalling abuse of plea-bargaining in the USA, which makes a proper jury trial too risky for all but the very rich.”

And, asked whether he thought Mr Cameron would wring concessions out of President Obama, he added: “That will depend on whether Mr Cameron has any guts or not.”

http://www.whtimes.co.uk