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SUICIDE FEARS

Dad of ‘hacker’ Lauri Love says autistic son will kill himself if extradited to US on cyber-crime charges

Engineering student, 31, could be jailed for up to 99 years

A VICAR says his autistic son will probably kill himself if he is extradited on cyber-crime charges.

Lauri Love, 31, who has Asperger syndrome, is accused of stealing data from US government agencies including the FBI and NASA.

 Lauri Love's father told the court he has a long history of severe mental health problems
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Lauri Love's father told the court he has a long history of severe mental health problemsCredit: PA:Press Association
 The court can block extradition and have Love tried in Britain
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The court can block extradition and have Love tried in BritainCredit: PA:Press Association

US authorities want Love, an engineering student from Stradishall, Suffolk, to stand trial there. He could be jailed for up to 99 years.

But his father told an extradition hearing at Westminster magistrates’ court their “exceptionally gifted” son has a long history of severe mental health problems.

 Lauri, pictured at an Occupy protest in Glasgow, is described by his father as 'extremely gifted'
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Lauri, pictured at an Occupy protest in Glasgow, is described by his father as 'extremely gifted'Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

Rev Alexander Love, a prison chaplain, said of a possible suicide: “Lauri is somebody who strikes me as somebody who will do this. The probability is quite high.”

The court can block extradition and have Love tried in Britain. The hearing continues.