Lisa Smith further remanded in custody for book of evidence to be completed
Former Irish defence forces soldier Lisa Smith, who was charged with membership of ISIS, has been further remanded in prison custody for a book of evidence to be completed.
She was sent back to Ireland along with her daughter, aged two, from Turkey on December 1, but was refused bail three days later following strenuous objections that she had been radicalised and joined the middle eastern terror group.
The Co Louth woman denies the allegations and claimed she went to live in the declared Islamic State, and was following teaching of the Koran, after a period in her life when she had suffered severe depression and was suicidal, Dublin District Court was told.
Her lawyer had pleaded that the 37-year-old had come back to Ireland after walking with her toddler daughter, “through bombs, poverty, and cesspit camps, and desert, to come to her country of origin”.
She was refused bail on a number of grounds, and was remanded in custody to appear again at Dublin District Court today to be served with a book of evidence. Possible further charges are contemplated.
On conviction, she faces a maximum 10-year sentence. The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment.
Smith, with an address at Aghameen Park, Dundalk, Co Louth, faced her second hearing this morning before district court president Judge Colin Daly.
Wearing a black traditional abaya robe with her face uncovered, Smith, who has been held at Limerick Prison, did not address the court.
She stood facing Judge Daly holding her hands in front of her during the brief hearing.
Judge Daly said the case was listed for service of a book of evidence, but a State solicitor confirmed it was not yet ready. It has to be served before she can be sent forward for trial to a higher court.
A four-week adjournment was sought.
Defence barrister David Leonard (instructed by solicitor Darragh Mackin) consented and asked if his client could appear via video-link from Limerick Prison on the next date.
Judge Daly agreed and ordered that the video-link hearing would take place on January 8 next.
Her charges sheet states: “That you the said Lisa Marie Smith between October, 28 2015 and December 1, 2019, both dates inclusive, outside the State, did commit an act which if committed in the State would constitute an offence under Section 21 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939, as amended by Section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005, in that you were a member of a terrorist group which is an unlawful organisation, to wit an organisation styling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as Dawlat al-Iraq al-Islamiyya, Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Dawlat al Islamiya fi Iraq wa al Sham, otherwise known as 'Da’esh' and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham."
It is an offence contrary to the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.
Smith joined the Irish defence forces after leaving school in 2000 and also served with the Air Corps on the government jet.
She made no reply when charged said Special Detective Unit (SDU) Sergeant Gareth Kane, who objected to bail on December 4. He had cited the seriousness of the case, her alleged radicalisation and possible flight risk.
Det Sgt Kane alleged she was radicalised in her home-town, Dundalk, before leaving the country.
He alleged she married an ISIS member from Britain when she moved to Syria in 2015. She allegedly provided finances and pledged allegiance to ISIS, “in full knowledge of its brutal regime”, after a caliphate was declared.
She was later discovered living in a Kurdish-controlled refugee camp in war-torn Syria and later walked with her child to Turkey where she was later questioned by the FBI.
The SDU sergeant had also cited flight risk fears saying: “She has shown ability to enter countries Syria in times of conflict”.
Her legal team have asked for her to be segregated from the rest of the prison population while on remand.
