The Gary McKinnon Hack (2001–2002) – The British Hacker and the Pentagon UFO Mystery

Short description of the event

Between 2001 and 2002, British IT expert Gary McKinnon hacked into over 97 US military computer systems from London, including the Pentagon, NASA, and the US Navy. He claimed to have discovered UFO-related documents and photographs of an alien spacecraft. He also claimed to have discovered evidence of a secret space program and alien officers. The US demanded his extradition, but the UK refused due to his mental health.

When and where did this all happen?

The incident took place between February 2001 and March 2002. McKinnon operated from London, targeting servers in the US – including the Pentagon, NASA, and the US Navy.

Main features of the event

Gary McKinnon gained access to highly sensitive systems by simply cracking passwords. He reported finding photos of a giant, cigar-shaped UFO and evidence of an "extraterrestrial" fleet with "non-terrestrial officers." He also claims to have discovered evidence that NASA systematically retouches UFO images. The hack led to demands for extradition to the United States, where he could have faced up to 70 years in prison. McKinnon was arrested in 2002, but his extradition was finally stopped in 2012.

Investigation and clarification attempts

The US government named him the author of the largest hack against the US military and accused him of damaging security-critical systems – a charge McKinnon denies. He claimed he had no destructive intentions but was simply looking for evidence of UFOs. Critics suspect that McKinnon may have misinterpreted internal NASA documents; no concrete evidence of his discoveries exists publicly.

List of the most credible witnesses

Gary McKinnon himself is the key witness, as he had direct access to the data. His statements are consistent and publicly documented. The US government and Pentagon investigators confirmed the successful hack. British courts also recognized McKinnon's mental state and stopped the extradition—an indirect indication of the seriousness of the case.

Conclusion on credibility

The Gary McKinnon case is one of the most well-known incidents in which UFOs have been linked to cyberhacking and military secrets.
Pro-credibility: The confirmed access to secret US data, the drastic reaction of the US government and the still unexplained mention of “non-terrestrial officers”.
Counter-credibility: There is no publicly available evidence of UFO photos or alien fleets. Misinterpretation of terms or context is possible.
Credibility: Medium to high – The hack is documented, but the content of its findings remains unproven.