IRISH ISIS bride Lisa Smith does not believe she should be blamed for any acts of terror carried out by the Islamic State.
The 37-year-old former Irish Defence Forces worker from Dundalk travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State three years ago.
She is now being held at the Ain Issa refugee camp along with her two-year-old daughter following the collapse of the IS caliphate in the region and is seeking a return to Ireland.
Speaking in an interview with RTE News, Smith was keen to stress that her decision to join the Islamic State was never motivated by “radical beliefs”.
"You can't blame me for what the Islamic State done. I don't hold the same beliefs as them. I came to a caliphate where Islam was supposed to be implemented. I have different beliefs than the majority of people,” Smith said.
"People in the Islamic State come from all over the world. They have different beliefs and different understandings of Islam.
"Since I came here I have seen that no-one has any real understanding of Islam."
According to Smith, her now-deceased husband made her stay at home every day, meaning she played no active part in any violence and was unaware of the brutal acts being carried out.
"What did I do? I just joined the Islamic State and now I just become a monster. How? The British and the Irish fought for many years.
"If someone moved from England then what would they say about them? How am I (a) monster? I came here to Islamic State and I didn't do anything."
She also refuted any suggestion she was ever radicalised.
"What is radical? I don't understand clearly," she said.
"Someone needs to explain it to me properly because I don't understand what radical is. In terms of being a Muslim and wanting to live in a Muslim state, I don't understand how that is radical."
Opening up to RTE's Norma Costello, Smith admitted she has all but given up hope of returning to Ireland but would never contemplate the idea of sending her daughter back without her.
"To be honest I don't think I will be going back, ever. That's what I feel. That's what I think,” she said.
"They could be trying to make an example of me because I'm Irish and I'm military and I'm a woman.
"To be honest I don't know what's going on. If it's just the Irish Government or its Europe as a whole because there's a big delay on all the countries at the moment."
"I don't want to be without my daughter. I love my daughter. What mother is going to give up her daughter like that?"
