Spain’s Supreme Court on Friday threw out the convictions of three men found guilty last year of being part of an al-Qaida-linked group after prosecutors agreed there was not sufficient evidence to jail them, a court official said.The men — Driss Chebli, Sadik Merizak and Abdelaziz Benyaich — had received sentences of between six and eight years — Chebli for collaboration with an al-Qaida-linked terror group, and the others for belonging to a terror organization. They were among 18 people convicted in a high-profile trial last year linked to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Prosecutors this week acknowledged there was not sufficient evidence to jail the three and the Supreme Court agreed, said the court official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because his officeÂ’s ground rules prohibit him from being identified. The court was hearing appeals by all 18.
On Thursday, prosecutors also urged the court to throw out a conviction for murder conspiracy against the leading suspect in the case, Syrian-born Spaniard Imad Yarkas, 46. Yarkas is alleged to have founded and led an al-Qaida cell in Spain, which investigators say was a staging ground for the Sept. 11 attacks, along with Germany.