Nasa hacker has 'shut down', say protesters

Owen McMenamin, who described himself as one of McKinnon's close friends, said McKinnon had been charactersied as a dangerous hacker by the US authorities to draw attention away from the military's lack of security.

"The powers that be have to demonise him to hide their own inadequacies," said McMenamin. "The gravity of what he's done has been blown out of all proportion. He's one of the most well-intentioned guys. He wouldn't hurt a fly."