The decision came weeks after prosecutors admitted that the case against Syrian-born Imad Yarkas was weak. But the court upheld a 12-year sentence against Yarkas for belonging to a terrorist organisation. It also confirmed the acquittal of three other suspects accused of belonging to, or collaborating with, al-Qaeda.

Yarkas is said to have founded and led an al-Qaeda cell in Spain, which investigators say was, with one in Germany, a staging ground for the attacks.

He was one of 18 people found guilty of terror charges in September. But prosecutors had asked the court to overturn his conviction in respect of the US attacks, citing lack of evidence. Fernando Sequeros, for the prosecution, said that Yarkas was an evil man who embraced al-Qaeda’s ideas, but there was no firm evidence to show he took part in planning 9/11, although he may have known about the attacks. (AP)

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