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| Smith had converted to Islam and traveled to Syria after terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Muslims to join IS. She wept in court during an earlier hearing as her lawyer pleaded mitigation on her behalf. (Photo by= Brian Lawless/PA) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] A former Irish Defence Forces soldier who was found guilty of Islamic State (IS) membership has been given a 15-month prison sentence. Lisa Smith, 40, was found guilty in May of being a member of the group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, BBC reported.
The court found her not guilty of financing terrorism by sending money to a man for the benefit of the terrorist group. She wept in court during an earlier hearing as her lawyer pleaded mitigation on her behalf. Referring to three psychologists' reports. He also outlined to the court the violent and abusive nature of her marriage in Syria. She was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The judge, Mr. Justice Hunt, said it was serious for any Irish citizen and a former member of the defense forces to pledge allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization. He said there was no doubt that she knew what she was doing.
But he said he and the court took into account her previous good behavior and that she had a hard time in Syria and suffered from domestic violence. However, he added that as a result of her decision to travel there. He said Smith may have been easily led but she displayed characteristics of resilience by staying in Syria until the bitter end.
