Courts / Louth / Report
IS accused didn't leave Syria after seeing 'atrocity' of man on cross, trial hears
Summary
Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 39 from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She claims she saw a single atrocity – a dead man hanging on a cross with his eyes gouged out – while living in Syria, but says she did not witness public executions or other atrocities. Smith says she was there to "build the Islamic State" and that she had no involvement in terrorist activities. She denies funding terrorism, stating she sent €800 to a man named John Georgelas in 2015 for personal use, not to support the organisation. Smith says her husband kept her confined and prevented her from leaving until after Raqqa fell in 2017. The Special Criminal Court is hearing her not‑guilty pleas for membership of an unlawful terrorist group and for financing terrorism. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: IS accused didn't leave Syria after seeing 'atrocity' of man on cross, trial hears. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019; financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- June 2016 Other
- October 28th, 2015 Other
- December 1st, 2019 Other
- May 6th, 2015 Incident
- 2022-02-14 Publication
Why: " She said other people were "doing things because they had a belief they were doing the right things" but she had nothing to do with that. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019; financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
Topics
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