Former Irish soldier who joined Isis in Syria says ‘I’m not like a terrorist’

Lisa Smith says she has 'never killed anyone'.

A former Irish soldier who joined Isis after becoming radicalised in Syria has denied fighting and training young girls for the extremist group.

Lisa Smith, 37, moved to the war torn country after divorcing her Tunisian husband at the age of 33 – because he refused to come with her.

Smith, who lives in a refugee camp for Isis women and children with her daughter, aged two, said she has ‘never killed anyone’.

Speaking to BBC at the camp, she wanted an ‘actual caliphate’ and acknowledged that the group was brutal.

She added: ‘I’m not like a terrorist. I’m not out to kill anyone.

‘If you ask me am I going to hurt anyone? No. Have I any intentions to do anything? No. I’m just interested in trying to bring my daughter up and get her educated.’

Smith told BBC’s Anna Foster a decade in the Irish Army and Air Corps left her depressed and lost in drink and drugs.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has previously said he would allow both her and her daughter to return to the country.

However, he stressed she must be ruled out a security risk first.

Minister for Employment and Social Affairs Regina Doherty also said Smith should be allowed back home.

She said: ‘I think she’s an Irish citizen with a small baby, I think she should be allowed come home.’

Smith said in March she wants to return to Ireland with her daughter.

Friends described her as a ‘party girl’ before she converted to Islam and became radicalised after a bad breakup.

She is believed to have left Ireland in 2013 or 2014, travelling to Bizerte where she met her husband.

Smith then posted photos from Syria to her Facebook page in 2016.

She has now lost her husband and is living in the al-Hol refugee camp with her daughter.