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Lisa Smith Tom Conachy

Gardaí confirm ongoing 'criminal investigation' into Lisa Smith

The Dundalk woman is being held in a displacement camp in Syria for the wives and children of Islamic State fighters.

AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA has confirmed there is an ongoing criminal investigation into former ISIS bride Lisa Smith who is currently detained in Syria. 

The 37-year-old Dundalk woman was captured by Kurdish forces in northeast Syria and is being held with her two-year-old daughter in the Al-Hawl displacement camp for the wives and children of Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Smith previously worked in the Irish Defence Forces but left service in 2011 after converting to Islam. It is believed she departed for Syria in 2015 after her first marriage broke down. While there, she married a British IS fighter.

Earlier this year, gardai travelled to Australia to interview a former member of the Defence Forces who had information about Smith.

The officer in charge of garda security and intelligence told RTÉ News today that if Smith returns to Ireland she will be questioned about suspected terrorist offences abroad. 

A garda spokesperson from confirmed to TheJournal.ie that there is an ongoing criminal investigation into Smith.  

In a July interview with the BBC, Smith expressed hope of returning to Ireland with her two-year-old daughter.

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