Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0193Membership of a terrorist group · Co. Louth · 28 Oct 2015

Lisa Smith's Islamic State membership conviction upheld in Dublin

Lisa Smith, a 43-year-old Irish woman from Dundalk, County Louth, and former Defence Forces member, was convicted in 2022 by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of membership of Islamic State after travelling to Syria in 2015. She was cleared of providing funds to benefit the group after a nine-week trial and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Smith lost an appeal against the severity of her sentence in 2023 and subsequently appealed her conviction at the Court of Appeal. In October 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal, with Mr Justice John Edwards ruling that her voluntary travel to Islamic State-controlled territory constituted sufficient acts of participation without proof of combat or operational acts.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court10 Apr
    4 reports
  5. Convicted6 Oct
  6. Sentenced26 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Lisa Smith, a former Defence Forces member and convert to Islam, travelled to Syria in 2015 and joined Islamic State there.
Where
Smith is from Dundalk, County Louth.
When
The membership offence was alleged to have occurred between October 28, 2015 and December 1, 2019.
Charges
Smith pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of Islamic State and providing funds to benefit the group.
In court
  • In 2022, the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin convicted Smith of IS membership and cleared her of financing terrorism after a nine-week trial.
  • In October 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed Smith's appeal against her conviction, with Mr Justice John Edwards ruling that her voluntary travel to IS-controlled territory constituted sufficient acts of participation.
Sentence
Smith was sentenced to 15 months in prison and lost an appeal against the severity of the sentence in 2023.
Other details
  • Smith became the first person convicted in an Irish court of an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad.
  • Smith's barrister argued she travelled to Syria out of a religious obligation, led an anonymous life there, and there was no evidence she performed acts as a member of IS.
  • Witness Tania Joya Choudhury testified that Smith said she would fight because she had training, and a January 2013 photograph showed Smith on a horse giving a one-finger salute.
51 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatSmith is a former member of the Defence Forces. (rte.ie)
  • whatSmith's barrister said she travelled to Syria out of a religious obligation. (rte.ie)
  • whatSmith's barrister said she led a totally anonymous life in Syria. (rte.ie)
  • whatLisa Smith is a former Defence Forces member. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whatThe Court of Appeal upheld Lisa Smith's conviction for membership of Islamic State. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whereLisa Smith is from Dundalk. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whereSmith is from Dundalk, County Louth. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whereSmith travelled to Syria in 2015 and joined Islamic State there. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereSmith travelled to Syria in 2015. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenSmith went to Syria in 2015. (rte.ie, dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • whenSmith was convicted in 2022 by the Special Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe membership offence was alleged to have occurred between October 28, 2015 and December 1, 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenSmith pleaded not guilty to membership of the terrorist group between October 28th, 2015, and December 1st, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeSmith had pleaded not guilty to membership of IS and providing funds to benefit the group. (rte.ie)
  • chargeSmith pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of IS and providing funds to benefit the group. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • chargeSmith pleaded not guilty to membership of Islamic State between October 28, 2015 and December 1, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtSmith's lawyer told the Court of Appeal about her appeal. (rte.ie)
  • courtSmith was found guilty of IS membership in 2023. (rte.ie)
  • courtSmith was cleared of financing terrorism after a nine-week trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • courtSmith is appealing her conviction for membership of IS. (rte.ie)
  • courtSmith was found guilty of IS membership in 2022 and cleared of financing terrorism after a nine-week trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • courtHer barrister, Michael O’Higgins SC, opened the appeal at the Court of Appeal on Thursday. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • courtThe three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court found she joined Isis when she travelled to Syria in 2015. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe hearing was on the third day of her appeal at the Court of Appeal. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice John Edwards said the court would reserve judgment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe court rejected all grounds raised by Smith, so her appeal was dismissed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Justice John Edwards delivered the judgment for the three-judge court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal rejected all of Smith's grounds and dismissed her appeal. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtIn 2022 the Special Criminal Court convicted Smith, making her the first person convicted in an Irish court of an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAt the conviction appeal hearing, Smith's senior counsel argued she travelled to Syria through a religious obligation and did not carry out any acts as a member of Islamic State. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said Smith's travel to Islamic State-controlled territory could amount to sufficient acts of participation. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceLisa Smith was jailed for joining ISIS. (extra.ie)
  • sentenceSmith was given 15 months in prison and lost an appeal over the sentence's severity. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceSmith was sentenced to 15 months in prison and lost an appeal against the severity of the sentence in 2023. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • sentenceSmith was refused an appeal against a 15-month sentence and has now lodged an appeal against her conviction. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceSmith received a 15-month sentence, and the Court of Appeal rejected her bid to overturn it in 2023. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherLisa Smith was freed. (extra.ie)
  • otherSmith's barrister said there was no smoking gun showing she did anything for IS. (rte.ie)
  • otherSmith's barrister said most of her social media posts predated her travel to Syria and were mundane. (rte.ie)
  • otherSmith's barrister said she did not use social media to post propaganda about IS and Syria. (rte.ie)
  • otherCounsel argued there was no evidence Smith did anything for IS while she lived in Syria. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherCounsel argued it was not possible to join a terrorist organisation by osmosis. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherCounsel said the conviction's approach was flawed because it treated travel to an area where Sharia law is applied as proof of membership. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherCounsel said there was no evidence Smith made bay’ah to the caliph or received special treatment or benefits. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherCounsel said the UK had criminalised travel to parts of Syria, and that the EU directive on criminalising travel had not been enacted in Ireland, so Smith's travel was lawful. (dundalkdemocrat.ie)
  • otherIn 2022, Smith became the first person convicted in an Irish court of an Islamic terrorist offence committed abroad. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherTania Joya Choudhury was present with Smith in Syria in 2013 and travelled over the border with her from Egypt. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherChoudhury testified that Smith said she would fight because she had training. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA photograph of Smith taken in January 2013 shows her on a horse giving a one-finger salute. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said membership did not require proof of combat, military activity, or operational acts. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSmith's counsel argued she travelled to Syria through a religious obligation and did not act as a member of Isis. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Oct2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Court of Appeal upholds Lisa Smith’s conviction for Islamic State membership

    Court of Appeal dismissed Lisa Smith's conviction appeal, upholding her 2022 Special Criminal Court conviction for Islamic State membership and her 15-month sentence. Judge John Edwards held that voluntary travel to IS-controlled territory constituted sufficient acts of participation without proof of combat or operational acts.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, 44, female, named, irish (judged from name)Lisa Smith
  2. 6 Oct2026
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Court upholds Lisa Smith’s conviction for membership of terrorist group ISIS

    The Court of Appeal dismissed Smith's appeal, with Mr Justice John Edwards ruling that her voluntary travel to Islamic State-controlled territory was capable of constituting sufficient acts of participation and that membership did not require proof of combat, military activity, or operational acts. Her 15-month sentence from 2022 stands.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, 44, named, irish (judged from name)Lisa Smith
  3. 9 May2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Lisa Smith’s conviction for Islamic State membership should be upheld, court told

    Third day of Lisa Smith's appeal hearing at the Court of Appeal. The State (DPP) argued the conviction was safe and sound, citing evidence from Smith's own text messages, social media, and witness testimony. Defence argued no evidence of active contribution to Islamic State's 'state-building project'. Mr Justice John Edwards reserved judgment.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, 43, female, named, irish (judged from name)Lisa Smith
  4. 11 Apr2025
    In courtdundalkdemocrat.ie, follow-up
    Louth woman Lisa Smith's IS membership conviction falls short of Irish law, court told

    Adds the defence submissions made at the Court of Appeal, including that travel to Syria and living there do not amount to IS membership under Irish law.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, 43, female, Irish, named, irishLisa Smith
  5. 10 Apr2025
    In courtrte.ie, follow-up
    Lawyer says no 'smoking gun' Smith did anything for IS

    Reports the defence submissions in Smith's appeal against her conviction for Islamic State membership, including the barrister's arguments on motive, membership and social media posts. Smith was found guilty in 2023 and given 15 months.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, 43, female, named, irish (judged from name)Lisa Smith
  6. 26 May2023
    Sentencedextra.ie, follow-up
    Lisa Smith Freed After Being Jailed For Joining ISIS

    Only the headline is present; the article body is template code with no reporting. The headline says Lisa Smith was freed after being jailed for joining ISIS.

    convicted, Lisa Smith, named, irish (judged from name)Lisa Smith