Irish ISIS bride faces further charges, funding terrorism

An Irish woman accused of moving to Syria and joining the terrorist group the Islamic State is facing an additional charge of financing terrorism.

Lisa Smith, a former member of the Irish Defense Forces, traveled to Syria in 2015 and allegedly joined the Islamic State before she was captured by American forces in 2019 and held in a refugee camp with her daughter.

She was arrested upon her return to Ireland in December 2019 and later charged with being a member of a terrorist organization breaching the Offences Against the State Act of 1939 and the Terrorism Offences Act of 2005.

The so-called Irish ISIS Bride is now facing new charges of financially aiding the terrorist organization.

The charge relates to the transfer of €800 in financial assistance via a Western Union account in 2015.

Special Detective Unit Sergeant Gareth Kane told the Dublin District Court that he put to charge to Smith at 10:28 a.m. on Friday morning outside the courthouse and said that the accused made "no reply" to the new charge.

Smith's initial charge of an offense contrary to the Criminal Justice (Terrorism Offenses) Act carries a possible ten-year prison sentence and the Director of Public Prosecutions has announced that her trial will take place in the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

Defense solicitor Paul Corrigan said that the decision to hold the trial in the Special Criminal Court will be challenged.

Smith appeared in court on Friday for a book of evidence and trial order to be served, but the additional charge of financing a terrorist group was put to her instead.

The book of evidence could not be served and the trial order could not be made because Smith's independent surety was not present in the court.

A surety is a person who takes responsibility for certain people to make sure they come to court.

Corrigan said that the surety would be in court next week and he said that his client would not be getting the book of evidence until the issue of a trial venue has been dealt with.

Smith, a native of Dundalk in County Louth, has denied being involved in any terrorist activities.

She is accused of being a member of ISIS from October 28, 2015, to December 1, 2019, and admitted in media interviews to marrying a member of ISIS and living under Islamic State rule. She gave birth to her daughter two years ago and was captured by US forces in Northern Syria in 2019.