Appeals Court Throws Out Terrorist Padilla's Sentence

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Miami has thrown out the 17-year prison sentence to dirty bomb terror suspect Jose Padilla saying the sentence was too lenient.

Padilla and two co-conspirators were convicted in 2007 after a three-month trial in which prosecutors said the group sent money, recruits, and supplies to Islamic extremist groups including al-Qaida.

Padilla was arrested in 2002 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on suspicion of plotting to set off a radioactive dirty bomb. He was held without trial for three and a half years as an enemy combatant before he was criminally charged.

The 11th Circuit did uphold all of the convictions, but sent the case back to the judge for a new sentencing hearing.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)