Wesley Snipes is appealing his three-year prison sentence for tax evasion, arguing his work helping to thwart terrorists makes him a national hero, according to reports.

The troubled star, 45, was handed the sentence in April after officials found him guilty of failing to file taxes for five years. He is currently free pending an appeal, which will center around his work teaching airline flight crews martial arts, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, reports TMZ.com.

Snipes' lawyers will tell the appeal court how the actor, "quietly and without any attempt to garner publicity" worked with martial arts experts and that his efforts "helped thwart the notorious 'shoe bomb' attack by terrorist Richard Reid."

The website reports that Snipes' legal team will also argue his original trial was flawed because of improper jury instruction and the lack of a pre-trial hearing.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)