A DECISION on whether to prosecute computer hacker Gary McKinnon in the UK will be reached "as soon as possible" authorities have said, as campaigners claimed the out-come of his case exposed a bias against Muslims.

Home Secretary Theresa May's announcement that Glasgow-born Mr McKinnon would not be extradited to the US to face charges of committing the "biggest military hack of all time" means the 46-year-old's last remaining legal hurdle is whether he will stand trial in the UK instead. Yesterday, a spokesman for the director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer, QC, said he will reach a decision "as soon as possible", but added that there was no set timetable.

Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's Syndrome, admitted hacking into US Government files from his North London bed-room in 2002 but claims he was simply searching for evidence of UFOs. His extradition was thrown out by Mrs May on the grounds that medical reports showed he was likely to kill himself if it went ahead.

Mr McKinnon's solicitor, Karen Todner, said yesterday that she was "absolutely delighted" by the decision.

She added: "The medical evidence I supplied to the Home Secretary was overwhelming and extremely powerful. It would have been astounding for her to have ignored it." However, Ms Todner said she did not believe the McKinnon case "sets any precedents", adding that the medical evidence against his extradition was "in my view, unique".

The family of Islamic terror suspect Babar Ahmad, who was extradited alongside radical cleric Abu Hamza and Syed Talha Ahsan earlier this month, accused the Government of double standards. They said: "Many of our supporters are angry at what appears to be blatant old-fashioned racism under which all British citizens are equal but some are more equal than others."