Lisa Smith jailed for 15 months for Islamic State membership

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

Lisa Smith was jailed for 15 months for Islamic State membership at the Special Criminal Court on 22 July 2022. The court backdated the sentence to 21 June.

The court found Smith guilty of membership of Islamic State, but not guilty of a separate charge of funding terrorism. It said it was reasonably possible that the €800 she sent to an Islamic State fighter and propagandist was for his personal use or humanitarian reasons.

The judge described the membership offence as serious, noting that Smith had taken up allegiance to a foreign terrorist organisation. The court also considered her previous good character, military service, domestic violence in Syria and life in the camps when sentencing her.

The court refused Smith’s application to remain on bail pending appeal, saying there was no basis for it. The Court of Appeal had jurisdiction to consider bail, the judge said.