Judges watch videos of Lisa Smith's Garda interviews  as trial resumes

The trial is in legal argument regarding mutual assistance requests made by gardaí investigating the allegations against Ms Smith to the authorities in America and Australia

Lisa Smith has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State. File photo: Niall Carson/PA

The trial of Lisa Smith, who denies membership of the terrorist organisation Islamic State, has restarted at the Special Criminal Court following a seven-day interruption.

The three-judge, non-jury court was forced to adjourn the proceedings following a medical issue that prevented the judges from attending. 

When they returned on Friday morning, they watched videos of interviews Ms Smith gave to gardaí after she was arrested on her return to Ireland from Syria in December 2019. The court has previously heard transcripts of those interviews.

The trial is now in legal argument regarding mutual assistance requests made by gardaí investigating the allegations against Ms Smith to the authorities in America and Australia.

Ms Smith (39) from Dundalk, Co Louth has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019. She has also pleaded not guilty to financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6, 2015.

She is on trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, and Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne.