Court of Appeal upholds Lisa Smith’s Islamic State membership conviction

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed Lisa Smith’s appeal and upheld her conviction for membership of Islamic State. Delivering judgment for the three-judge court, Mr Justice John Edwards said her voluntary travel to Islamic State-controlled territory, viewed in context, could constitute sufficient participation; the court said proof of combat or operational activity was not required.

The appeal court said the Special Criminal Court had based its finding on Smith’s deliberate travel, allegiance to the Islamic State project, submission to its authority and acceptance of its structures. It also rejected the argument that a perception of religious duty removed criminal liability where the evidence supported the legal test for membership. The court rejected all grounds of appeal.