More than 40 MPs have issued a highly unusual direct plea to the Barack Obama urging him to halt the "shameful" extradition of a British computer hacker to the United States.

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, also threw his weight behind a campaign against plans to send Gary McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, for trial in the US accused of breaking into sensitive military networks.

It came as the 43-year-old lost an eleventh hour High Court challenge to the move claiming that it would worsen his condition and represent "inhuman" treatment.

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5949202/40-MPs-in-plea-to-Barack-Obama-over-computer-hacker-Gary-McKinnon.html