The only person convicted of involvement in the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US walked free in the German city of Hamburg on Wednesday pending his retrial in June.
Mounir al-Motassadeq, 30, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in February 2003 for helping to organise the 2001 attacks and being a member of a terrorist organisation.
An appeal court ordered his retrial last month because evidence that might have ruled out his involvement had not been presented at the original trial.
It could also revive a controversy between Berlin and Washington over US reluctance to give foreign and domestic courts access to testimonies from individuals captured in the course of its “war on terror”.
Mr Motassadeq smiled but remained silent as he left the Hamburg prison where he was first detained in November 2001. Gerhard Strate, one his lawyers, said: “The main accusation that led to his imprisonment has now been dropped.” Federal prosecutors said they would not appeal against Wednesday’s decision.
Mr Motassadeq will face lesser charges when his trial reopens on June 16. While suspicions persist as to his membership of a terrorist cell, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the charge of 3,066 counts of accessory to murder had lessened, the Hamburg court said.
The former electrical engineering student had admitted visiting a clandestine military camp in Afghanistan, where he was trained to use light automatic weapons. Although a friend of the three Hamburg hijackers, he has denied being privy to their plans.
German court frees man jailed over 9/11 attacks
Amerikkan evidence has got be the most tainted and useless. Using an unamed unseen witness, what is that all about!
Jailing anyone and everyone with no evidence is a regular trait that we see from Amerikkka and Britain the so called civilised countries and lands of justice what a joke that has become.