Courts / Louth / Report
Lawyers for Lisa Smith ask court to dismiss IS charges
Summary
In the Special Criminal Court, Lisa Smith, a 40-year-old former soldier from Dundalk, Co Louth, is on trial for alleged membership of the Islamic State (IS) between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019, and financing terrorism. She has pleaded not guilty to both charges. The financing allegation involves sending €800 via Western Union to John Georgelas on May 6, 2015. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC applied to dismiss the charges, arguing there is no evidence Smith knowingly joined IS or intended the funds to benefit the group. He contended that Irish law requires awareness of committing an offence and noted Georgelas was not in IS-controlled territory at the time of the transfer. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC countered that Smith answered IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's specific call to travel, thereby becoming an integral part of the organisation and serving as propaganda. He argued she knew Georgelas was an IS member and sent the money to help him recover from injuries sustained fighting for the group. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the non-jury court, will rule on the defence application to dismiss the charges on Thursday. If the application fails, the defence indicated it will call one witness before closing speeches.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Lawyers for Lisa Smith ask court to dismiss IS charges. 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:
- October 28th, 2015 Other
- December 1st, 2019 Other
- May 6th, 2015 Other
- May 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2015 Incident
- 2013 and 2015 Incident
- 2022-03-22 Publication
Why: Once in Syria, Mr Gilane said the accused was not just "boiling the kettle" but was an "absolutely integral part of the terrorist group because she is not just a woman, she is a western woman who has answered the call. CNI source report
Case subjects
Applicant
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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