Former Irish soldier Lisa Smith has appealed the severity of her 15-month prison sentence for membership in the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
Lead attorney Michael O’Higgins claimed the verdict was too high and that Smith was not given enough credit for the mitigating factors, reports RTE.
These included the fact that she was the mother of a child whose father had died, that she had already spent time in detention, the conditions at Al Hawl camp, her support for the prosecutor’s office and her cooperation with the Gardaí.
He also said an expert report by Professor Anne Speckard, who said Smith had exposed ISIS, had not been given due consideration.
However, prosecution attorney Sean Gillane said the primary verdict was certainly a legitimate number as Smith’s decision to join ISIS has been vetted and decided.
He also said the court awarded her more than usual mitigating factors related to how the crime was committed, even awarding her almost 50%.
The decision on the appeal remains reserved.
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