Sudbury Terrorist Appeals Sentence

Tarek Mehanna's legal team was in Boston on July 30 to appeal his 17 1/2-year sentence on terrorism charges, WHDH reports.

A lawyer for the Sudbury resident convicted of conspiring to help al-Qaida argued that numerous terror-related images used by prosecutors at his trial prejudiced the jury against him.

Prosecutors said Mehanna traveled to Yemen for training in a terrorist camp and intended to go to Iraq to fight U.S. soldiers. When that failed, prosecutors say, Mehanna returned to the U.S. and disseminated materials online promoting violent jihad.

According to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, the three-judge panel gave no indication on when it will issue its ruling. Typically, the court issues its rulings within four months after oral arguments. 

Mehanna had faced life in prison for conspiring to help al Qaeda and traveling to Yemen in search of terrorism training in 2004.