Swedish Appeals Court overturns bombing plot conviction

STOCKHOLM, June 12 (Reuters) - A Swedish appeals court on Wednesday overturned a seven-year sentence handed down to an Uzbek man by a lower court for plotting to carry out a bombing in the name of Islamic State.

While the Svea Appeals Court freed David Idrisson, a 46-year old Uzbek citizen who has lived in Sweden since 2008, over the charge of preparing an attack, it upheld his conviction for financing terrorism.

"The evidence that the Appeals Court has seen is not sufficient to convict him ... of preparing a terrorist crime," judge Ragnar Palmkvist said in a statement.

In 2018, prosecutors charged Idrisson and two other men with acquiring and storing large quantities of chemicals and other equipment with intent to cause death and injury.

Idrisson was found guilty by a court in March this year. The two others were acquitted of those charges due to a lack of evidence but were convicted of financing terrorism.

The Appeals Court upheld those convictions, sentencing all three men to between four and six months in prison.

An expulsion order against Idrisson, who has permanent Swedish residency, will be withdrawn as a result of the Appeals Court ruling. (Reporting by Simon Johnson Editing by Gareth Jones)