Stephen Fryis the latest high profile figure to sign the petition calling for a governmentapology to gay war time hero Alan Turing.

Turing, aworld renowned mathematician, famously invented the Bombe, a machine thathelped decipher German enigma encoded messages, and lead to the end of WorldWar ll. Often considered the father of modern computer science, he was awardedan OBE in 1945 for his contributions to the war effort.

In 1952after being found guilty of gross indecency for having a homosexualrelationship, an illegal offence at the time, Turin was given the choice of chemicalcastration or a prison sentence. He chose the former and two year later, aged 41,committed suicide.

In a poston social networking site Twitter, broadcaster Stephen Fry has urged the publicto sign the appeal which has attracted more than 30,000 signatures so far.Professor Steven Hawkings, novelist Ian McEwan and activist Peter Tatchell havejoined Fry, amongst a growing list of high profile figures, endorsing thecampaign.

In aninterview with CNN explaining the petition organizer John Graham-Cumming saidhe grew ?mad? at the country's memory of a man he says should be considered oneof its national heroes.

"I'mlooking for an apology from the British government because that's where I thinkthe wrong was done. But Turing is clearly someone of internationalstature," Graham-Cumming said.

Turin?s achievements include development of the Turin machine, a concept on which all moderncomputers are based.

In astatement, gay rights activist Peter Tatchell said "Not only should thegovernment issue an official apology over the homophobic persecution of mathsgenius and war-time hero Alan Turing, it should give him a posthumouspardon."

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