This is exactly why the "the Internet is a different place" arguments (such as [1]) make me sad. Because, without a formal worldwide treaty (seems unlikely), it will never be the case. Whilst you might perceive your actions on the Internet to be either only policeable on the Internet or in the worst case in the location you perform them from, the law (in multiple countries, over and over again) sees your actions as occurring in any place they affect. You may have initiated the activity in country A - but if that action is then caused to happen/repeated/perhaps even observed in country B, you probably shouldn't be surprised that if it breaks country B's laws then they might want to speak to you about it.

Guess what - if you (as an example) encourage Chinese dissent online and it gets past the Chinese firewall - you stand a good chance of being picked up by the Chinese authorities should you go there. The only way the Internet is a different place is if you never leave the Internet/your home jurisdiction. The good news for US citizens is an extradition along the lines you mention seems unlikely (unless you also broke US law). In the UK (for example), the situation is far more bleak as their extradition treaties with the US and others are less protective.

P.S. this is in no way commentary on MalwareTech's guilt - that is for a judge and/or jury to decide - just discussing a common perception

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Declaration_of_the_Independe...