Former Irish solider sentenced for being a member of IS

Lisa Smith, a former Irish solider found guilty of being a member of the so-called Islamic State has been sentenced to 15 months in prison at a Dublin court.

In May, after a nine-week trial, the ex-defence forces member was found guilty of membership of IS, but was acquitted of financing terrorism.

In 2015, Smith, who had converted to Islam, went to Syria after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Muslims to travel to the country.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges of membership of IS and providing funds to benefit the group. In court, she was described as an "extremely vulnerable person" who was "treated like a servant" by her late husband, a member of IS, when in Syria.

Calling for a suspended sentence, Smith's barrister cited the treatment by her husband, the conditions in a Syrian camp in which she stayed and the strict bail conditions.

The judge in the case, Justice Hunt, said that Smith's online communications with various people showed that "her eyes were wide open" to the situation in the land to which she "fervently wished" to return. He also said that Ms Smith pledged allegiance to IS and that she knew the organisation was unlawful.

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