JIHADI bride Lisa Smith told her family she was “duped” into going to Syria — thinking she was going to an aid camp instead.
Pals also told the Irish Sun how ex-Irish Army trooper Lisa was “afraid” IS would kill her and her baby after her husband died fighting.
The former Defence Forces member, 37, was detained by US troops in northern Syria in recent days along with her two-year-old son on suspicion of supporting the terror group.
She left her home in Dundalk, Co Louth, and first moved to Tunisia before making the journey to Syria in 2015, where she married an Islamic State sympathiser who later died fighting.
In new revelations today, friends reveal how they believe her husband was monitoring her emails before his death and IS bosses planned to remarry her.
One pal told us: “Lisa never wanted to go to Syria. When she was in Tunisia she believed she was going to a camp to help women and children refugees but then found herself in the IS grip.
“Even though she embraced Islam, she never wanted to wear the full cover on her face.
“She was duped into thinking she was going to an aid camp when she was brought to Syria.”
Lisa’s pals insisted she was “under the influence” of her husband and later IS people.
The friend said: “The reason her mother never rang was because her husband wanted to monitor everything that was being said. He checked the email and also replied back for her.
“A couple of months ago her mum got an email from Lisa saying that her husband was dead and now she was afraid they were going to kill her and her baby.
“The mother went into complete panic and asked her to get out of there and get help. Lisa said they wouldn’t let her leave and that she was told that when mourning for her husband was over she would meet her new husband and have more kids.
“Lisa said she wanted to come home but that they would kill her before they let her leave.
“There was a lot happening the last few months. The US were monitoring her and agreed to arrest her for her own safety as soon as the opportunity arose.
“She is safe and she is helping them all she can.”
Jihadi Smith spent a decade serving as a soldier in the Irish Army and then the Air Corps. She had previously even served former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on the Government jet.
But a difficult split-up nine years ago caused Smith to fall into a deep depression. Having previously been described by pals as a “party girl” who loved a few drinks, she then decided to devote her life to Islam.
It was after this she ended up marrying an IS sympathiser in Syria.
Despite this, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the woman and her child can return home to Ireland.
I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes. But it’s very possible that she wasn’t a combatant.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
This is in contrast to some nations who refuse to allow their citizens back when they are known to have links to terrorist organisations.
On plans for her return to Ireland, a pal of Smith’s told us: “They are not sure when she will be home but she must be leaving Syria soon.
“The family are already looking for a place for her to live in Dublin when she gets home. They know she can’t come back to Dundalk because they are afraid of the abuse she will get.”
Varadkar says he does not believe removing Smith’s citizenship is “the right thing to do”, but stressed she would face an investigation and will not be allowed to endanger anyone when she does come back from Syria.
The Taoiseach said: “I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes. But it’s very possible that she wasn’t a combatant.
“But ultimately, this is an Irish citizen and we don’t believe that removing an Irish citizen’s citizenship from her or her family, rendering them stateless, would be either the right or compassionate thing to do.
“As an Irish citizen, she will have the right to return to Ireland as will her child. But as an Irish citizen, it’s not just as simple as coming here and proceeding as if nothing had happened.
“There may need to be a prosecution there. And we’ll make sure that if she returns to Ireland, she isn’t a threat to anybody here.”
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Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has told told how Smith is “keen to come home”, adding: “Every effort will be made on the part of the Irish authorities to ensure she does get home.
“But you are talking about a situation here of tremendous conflict, one of the most difficult conflict zones in the world.
“We don’t know the facts. We are talking to international colleagues to ascertain the facts. If there are children involved, of course we would like to assist in every way possible.”