WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out the conviction of Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a former driver for Osama bin Laden who served a prison term for material support for terrorism. In a 3-0 ruling, the appeals court said that material support for terrorism was not an international-law war crime at the time Hamdan engaged in the activity.

Hamdan was sentenced to 5½ years, given credit for time served, and is back home in Yemen, reportedly working as a taxi driver.