LISA DENIES TERRORIST OFFENCES
DUNDALK woman Lisa Smith was arrested ‘on suspicion of terrorist offences’ as she arrived at Dublin airport with her young daughter on Sunday morning.
In dramatic scenes, the 38 year old was escorted from the Turkish Airlines flight, and was later transferred to a South Dublin Garda station. She was pictured on the steps of the plane after it landed, her head covered with a pink blanket.
Gardai confirmed they arrested an Irish citizen ‘on suspicion of terrorist offences following her deportation from Turkey.’ They were also granted an additional 24 hours to question the former soldier.
Her daughter is currently in the care of relatives.
Solicitor Darragh Mackin stated she ‘categorically denied being involved in a terrorist organisation,’ adding: ‘Being a member of Islamic State does not mean she was a member of Isis.’
DUNDALK woman Lisa Smith was arrested by gardai ‘on suspicion of terrorist offences’ as she arrived at Dublin airport with her young daughter on Sunday morning.
In dramatic scenes, the 38 year old was escorted from the Turkish Airlines flight by gardai, and was later transferred to a South Dublin Garda station.
Lisa, who made headlines after she travelled to Syria a number of years ago to live in the ‘Islamic State’, had been deported from Turkey along with her two year old child.
She was pictured on the steps of the plane after it landed at Dublin airport, her head covered with a pink blanket.
In a statement, gardai confirmed they arrested ‘an Irish Citizen on suspicion of terrorist offences following her deportation from Turkey. She is currently being detained at a South Dublin Garda station under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act, 1939 as amended. A child, also an Irish Citizen, was in the company of the female and is now being cared for by relatives.’
It was confirmed yesterday (Monday) morning that gardai had been granted an additional 24 hours to question her.
Lisa, who is originally from Muirhevnamor, was a member of the Irish army, and served with the 27th Battalion before joining the Air Corps.
She is reported to have left the Defence Forces around 2011, and had converted to Islam.
It is understood that she travelled to Syria in 2015, and had married a British man, while living in the former Islamic State.
She made international headlines earlier this year when it emerged she was living in refugee camp in Syria with her young child. She gave a number of media interviews from the camp, where she denied holding extremist views.
Darragh Mackin, the solicitor representing the Dundalk woman said she has ‘a strong case to make’.
Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland he said that being a member of Islamic State is not necessarily a direct link to Isis.
‘ There are extreme organisations that target vulnerable people on the basis of their religious beliefs to lure them to certain areas,’ said Mr. Mackin. ‘Going to a particular location is not a terrorist offence.’
He said Lisa Smith ‘categorically denied being involved in a terrorist organisation,’ adding: ‘In her case being a member of Islamic State does not mean she was a member of Isis.’