Should British Hacker Lauri Love Be Extradited To The U.S.?

Lauri Love, a British-Finnish 31-year-old, faces extradition to the United States to stand trial for hacking into dozens of U.S. government websites, including those belonging to the Federal Reserve, NASA and the U.S. army. He is wanted for defacing numerous websites and stealing sensitive military data and personal details belonging to hundreds of thousands of government employees. He does not plead his innocence. He just wants to face a fair trial and serve any due sentence in his home country.

The Guardian’s article raises important legal and moral questions about whether Love should be extradited to the U.S., a country whose draconian law could mandate life imprisonment under the controversial Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The long read makes you wonder whether a prison term of up to 99 years and estimated $9m in fines is too high a price to pay for the cybercrimes Love allegedly committed. It also prompts questions about the importance of human rights claims of individuals liable to deportation. Should a vulnerable and mentally unwell man suffering from Asperger syndrome and struggling with suicidal thoughts be extradited?

“Even if Love is guilty of all the charges against him — retributively breaking into flimsy US government servers, copying sensitive information and discussing with others what might be done with the haul — how could a life sentence fit a crime that cost not one person one cent,” asks the Guardian.

Love’s case also has some broader implications for the British legal system. It’s a test for Theresa May's extradition forum bar, a law introduced to safeguard vulnerable adults from extradition introduced by the then-Home Secretary and current Prime Minister.

If you favour listening over reading, you may want to go for the Guardian’s 30-minute podcast on the same topic.