Isil bride is ‘determined to give her side of the story’ – TD

ISIL sympathiser Lisa Smith is “determined” to give her version of events now that she is back in Ireland.

Family spokesperson and Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick told the Irish Independent that the 38-year-old ex-Defence Forces member’s family were at Kevin Street garda station to support her yesterday while she was being questioned.

“I was speaking to the family once she came home. Her father, mother and sister had travelled to the Garda station in Dublin to be with her,” he said.

“She is allowed to be held for up to three days but the family have told me that Lisa is determined to give her side of the story once she is in a position to do so.”

Mr Fitzpatrick, who has been working closely with Tánaiste Simon Coveney and the Department of Foreign Affairs, said he was confident the Government and gardaí were taking all the appropriate steps in their investigation.

“The Taoiseach confirmed that an investigation has been under way since 2012 into Lisa Smith’s activities and since she has returned Tulsa have been working very closely with her child.

“From day one, the family’s main aim was to get Lisa and her daughter home. Now that’s she’s back, Lisa will be faced with many questions and if she is found guilty then she will face the penalty,” he said.

It was recently revealed that RTÉ approached Mr Fitzpatrick to ask if Ms Smith would do an interview with ‘The Late Late Show’ host Ryan Tubridy. “I said there is no problem whatsoever. I told them they had to join the queue,” he said at the time.

“The bottom line is Lisa will give interviews when she is home but there is no promise of any exclusive interview with ‘The Late Late Show’.”

Concerns the Islamic community has expressed about Ms Smith choosing to practise her faith in Ireland have been raised in high-level meetings.

Shaykh Dr Umar al-Qadri, chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, has previously said that Ms Smith would not be welcome in Irish mosques or Islamic community centres if she returned to Ireland.

He also said she should be prosecuted and de-radicalised.