Love plans to appeal the ruling, lawyer says

Sep 16, 2016 16:40 GMT  ·  By

A few hours ago, a judge at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, UK, approved the extradition request from the US government for Lauri Love, a hacktivist who has allegedly participated in the online protest called #OpLastResort, carried out by the Anonymous hacker collective.

The protest took place following the suicide of Aaron Schwartz, while under federal indictment for allegedly hacking MIT's network.

The #OpLastResort attacks resulted in the hacking of multiple US organizations, stealing and leaking data about personnel, and sometimes their financial information.

Love faces 99 years in a US jail

Love, 31, a Finnish-British citizen, allegedly participated in the attacks, according to a two-count indictment filed by US authorities on October 23, 2013. UK authorities arrested Love two days later, at his parents' home.

The US kept piling charges on Love's case with another indictment on February 21, 2014, and another nine-count indictment on July 24, 2014. A long legal battle started between the two parties, with a civil action lawsuit filed on Love's behalf.

According to all charges, Love faces 99 years in jail for his alleged crimes, which include hacking the likes of NASA, the FBI, the US Federal Reserve, the US Army, and more.

Love fears for his life in US prisons

Love, his lawyer, and his family have expressed concern about Love's well-being in the US, going as far as saying they fear for his life, due to several medical conditions, including mental health issues.

Love is represented in the legal procedures by TOR Ekland, a famous US lawyer who has represented famous hacker "weev" in his lost case against AT&T iPad hack, and who is also representing Deric Lostutter, the Anonymous hacker who exposed the Steubenville High School rape case.

Below is a WeAreChange interview with Tor Ekland recorded right after the court's ruling. Ekland says Love plans to file an appeal, which must be done in the following 14 days.