to relieve from a charge of fault or crime; declare not guilty

Link to present incidents:
A court on Friday convicted four Dutch Muslims of preparing terrorist attacks against political leaders and government buildings.
The heaviest sentence was reserved for Samir Azzouz, 20, who the judges said had played a "central role" in the group.
Azzouz had been arrested twice before as part of investigations into alleged terrorist activities.

He was charged once but acquitted in a case that prompted the government to give more authority to police and intelligence to pursue terrorist cases.