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San Francisco computer network siege resolved

A computer-network hostage situation that had emerged due to San-Francisco city employee's "malicious damage" has been resolved, thanks to intervention by the city's mayor.

Terry Childs, a network administrator for the city made headlines when he took control of the city's network and put in new access codes, effectively locking other administrators out.

The move blocked access to much of the city's information including law enforcement, prompting intervention from the mayor, who succeeded in convincing Childs to give up the codes.

However his lawyer, Erin Crane has defended Childs' refusal to surrender the codes saying he had good reason to be protective of the password.

He said: "His co-workers and supervisors had in the past maliciously damaged the system themselves, hindered his ability to maintain it... and shown complete indifference to maintaining it themselves."

He still faces possible jail term following four felony charges as a result of the drama, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

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