Lisa Smith charged with committing terrorist offence

Lisa Smith seen leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin earlier this week (pic: Collins Photos)

Former Defence Forces member Lisa Smith has appeared in court in Dublin charged with committing a terrorist offence outside the State between October 2015 and December 2019.

The 37-year-old from Dundalk, Co Louth, is charged with being a member of the jihadist terrorist group known as Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019.

Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court that Ms Smith was arrested at 10.30am at Kevin Street Garda Station and made no reply when she was charged with the terrorist offence.

She sat in the dock of Court Number 4 wearing a hijab, which she pulled up to fully cover her face.

She applied for bail but gardaí objected and, following a hearing before President of the Dublin District Court Judge Colin Daly, bail was refused.

The judge directed the media not to report details of the bail hearing that may adversely affect any subsequent trial.

Ms Smith was remanded to the Dochas Women's Prison at Mountjoy to appear again at the Dublin District  Court on 11 December.

Her solicitor Peter Corrigan asked that she be separated from the general prison population.

Judge Daly said he would send a request to the prison governor that she be segregated for her own security. 

Ms Smith was arrested on Sunday after she arrived in Ireland having been deported from Turkey along with her two-year-old daughter.

Her daughter is being cared for by relatives.