Ruling tossed in terrorism case

A federal appeals court threw out the only remaining conviction against a Guantanamo Bay detainee who had served as Osama bin Laden’s personal assistant, setting new restrictions on the use of military commissions to try terrorism suspects.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2 to 1 that the conspiracy case against Ali Hamza Bahlul was legally flawed because conspiracy is not a war crime.

Even after Friday’s ruling, Bahlul will continue to be held at the Guantanamo Bay prison.