A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan issued its 2-to-1 decision on Friday.

It came in the case of Dr. Rafiq Sabir. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he was convicted of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

The government said he had agreed to treat injured al-Qaida members so they could return to Iraq to fight Americans.

The resident of Boca Raton, Fla., had insisted throughout that he was innocent.