Former Irish soldier Lisa Smith found not guilty of attempting to finance terrorism

The Dundalk mother-of-one was accused of trying to send €800 to ISIS member John Georgelas in 2015 via a money transfer.

This morning Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that there was "no doubt" that, at the time of the attempted transfer, Georgelas was a member of ISIS.

It was the prosecution's case that he was both a propagandist for the terror group and a fighter.

However, Mr Justice Hunt said that it could not be ruled out beyond a reasonable doubt that the intention of Lisa Smith was either charitable or for humanitarian reasons, instead of funding terrorism.

He said the court was not satisfied that the prosecution had met its case and directed a not guilty verdict on the fundraising charge.

The Special Criminal Court is continuing to deliver its verdict on the second charge of ISIS membership.

Smith (40), a former member of the Defence Forces, had pleaded not guilty to being a member of the unlawful terrorist group IS, also known as ISIS, between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019.

She had also denied trying to finance terrorism by attempting to provide €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6, 2015, for the benefit of the same terror organisation.