Federal appeals court upholds conviction of Pennsylvania man on terrorism charges
By APMonday, March 22, 2010
Pa. man’s terror conviction is upheld on appeal
SCRANTON, Pa. — An appeals court has upheld the conviction of a northeastern Pennsylvania man found guilty of trying to help al-Qaida terrorists blow up fuel pipelines and refineries in the United States.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says in an opinion filed Thursday that the issues raised by 51-year-old Michael Curtis Reynolds were “meritless.” He had alleged insufficient evidence, misstated facts and false testimony, malicious prosecution and lack of a speedy trial.
Reynolds, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in November 2007 after he was convicted of providing material support to terrorists, soliciting a crime of violence and explosives counts.
Reynolds had been arrested after he tried to meet a purported al-Qaida contact near an Idaho motel. He had said he was trying to root out terrorists online.
