Janis Sharp, the mother of Gary McKinnon, said she was 'heartbroken' over the decision [AFP]

Gary McKinnon, 43, broke into 97 computers belonging to NASA, the US Department of Defence and branches of its military in what US authorities called "the biggest military hack of all time".

Britain's High Court rejected arguments on Friday by his lawyers that extradition would have disastrous consequences for McKinnon, who suffers from Aspergers, a form of autism.

He could face up to 70 years in prison if he is convicted by a US court over allegations he caused the US Army to shut down its entire network of computers in Washington for 24 hours and cost $700,000 worth of damage.

McKinnon, who hacked into the systems from his home in London, said he was only searching the internet for information about aliens.

'Hugely disappointing'

Judge Stanley Burnton said in his ruling that extradition was "a lawful and proportionate response to his offending".

But McKinnon's lawyer Karen Todner called the ruling "hugely disappointing" and urged Alan Johnson, the home secretary, to intervene.

McKinnon, who has fought a three-year battle to avoid extradition, now has 28 days to decide whether to appeal against the ruling.

Janis Sharp, his mother, said she was "heartbroken" over the court's decision.

"If the law says it's fair to destroy someone's life in this way, then it's a bad law," she said outside the court.

'Suicide risk'

His lawyers has argued McKinnon could commit suicide or suffer psychosis if extradited, because of his mental health condition.

They say he could easily be prosecuted in Britain, where he would face a less severe sentence.

But the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) ruled in February that the case was best brought in the United States.

McKinnon was arrested in 2002, after US prosecutors charged him with illegally accessing computers.

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