RESIDENTS of Dundalk are reportedly split over whether to welcome former ISIS bride Lisa Smith back to her hometown in the event she's released from police custody.
Many people in the Co. Louth town are still afraid she may be a threat due to the fact she hasn't openly condemned the Islamic terror group she's been previously affiliated with.
Others however believe that if she's released by gardai then the Irish public as a whole should be willing to give her a second chance, particularly if detectives deem her safe enough to return to public life.
According to the Irish Mirror, while the town is split on Smith's return, nearly all of those questioned said they thought the government made the right decision in bringing her two-year-old daughter Rakaya back to the country.
One local resident, who knew Smith when she was a girl, described her then as a "lovely child", before saying that while she generally wouldn't feel safe around the former Defence Forces member, the community could take comfort in the fact that the government would be monitoring her closely.
Another resident suggested that Smith "wouldn't be welcome" back in Dundalk and that the government had made a mistake in bringing her home.
"She should not have been brought back into this country. The Government have a sin to answer for. There's homeless living on the streets," she told the Irish Mirror.
Another agreed, saying: "She made her bed she should lie in it. She shouldn’t be allowed back here."
"They shouldn’t have let her back. She knows a lot. She has to," said another Dundalk native, concerned about her years spent in Syria.
There were those however who said they'd have no problem with Smith returning.
One local said that he was more concerned with the government squandering the taxpayers' money.
"I live right beside her. I have no problem with her coming home. I'm more concerned about the waste of money. Just look what they spent on that printer," he said.
Another said: "I lived in the Middle East for 23 years. I think everyone has the right to come home. Look what happened in London. Anything can happen anywhere."
Smith is currently being questioned by gardai on suspicion of terror offences. She was detained as soon as her flight from Turkey touched down at Dublin Airport on Sunday.
She was due to be released today, however the Dublin District Court announced that her period of detention has been extended by 24 hours this morning.
She'll be returned to Kevin Street Garda Station where she'll be detained until tomorrow morning, where she will either be charged or released.
