Man (26) pleads guilty to providing funding for Islamic State

A 26-year-old man has been remanded in custody after he pleaded guilty to providing funding for terrorist grouping Islamic State and attempting to collect or receive funding for the group.

Hassan Bal pleaded guilty to two separate terrorist related offences when he was arraigned on the charges before Judge Eugene O'Kelly at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court on Friday morning.

Bal first pleaded guilty to unlawfully transferring €400 by means of an An Post/Western Union to Stevo Maksimovic in the city of Brako in Bosnia Herzegovinia on October 2nd 2015.

The charge further alleges that he did this intending or knowing that the money would be used in whole or in part for the benefit of the terrorist group, Islamic State also known as Daesh.

Bal also pleaded guilty to a second charge that on October 23rd 2015 he communicated by phone with an intermediary in London in an attempt to collect or receive cash for Islamic State.

The second charge alleges that Bal did this by attempting to collect or receive cash from a person known to him as Omar Abu Azid at an address at Geron Way, London NW 2 6GJ.

Both charges are contrary to Section 13 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 and can carry a sentence of up to 20 years if they are dealt with on indictment at circuit court level.

Bal, who was born in the UK but came to Ireland when he was 12 and holds Irish citizenship, spoke only to confirm his identity and his guilty pleas to both charges during the 20 minute hearing.

Dressed in a grey-green jacket, blue check shirt and grey trousers, Bal who is formerly of O'Connell St in Waterford, sat in silence as his defence counsel, Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC addressed the court.

‘Very unusual case’

Mr O Lideadha said the case against his client was a “very unusual case” and he estimated it would take up to two hours for the matter to be heard in full when it came to sentencing.

He said he was seeking a report on Bal from an expert in Islamic radicalisation and de-radicalisaton Daniel Koelher of the German Institute of Radicalisation and Deradicalisation Studies.

He asked that Mr Koelher be given access to video recordings of garda interviews with Bal and any associated documents including the book of evidence which had been furnished to the defence.

Mr Koehler would examine why Mr Bal became “associated with such activities” and if he has since been de-radicalised and whether he supports “terrorist organisations like Islamic State” any more.

Mr O Lideadha also asked that Mr Koelher be allowed access to Bal in prison to interview him and further investigate his radicalisation and be available to give evidence at the sentencing hearing.

“He would be providing an expert opinion to the court and is very well aware of his obligations as an expert witness to be fair and clear and to report on the basis of his primary obligations to the court.”

Mr O Lideadha said his client was fully aware that the court would have access to Mr Koelher’s report, whatever the conclusions would be and he was agreeable to that.

Judge O’Kelly extended free legal aid for the defence to enable “an expert, independent report on radicalisation,” pending the defence furnishing the qualifications of the expert they had put forward.

He also ordered the expert report be furnished to the prosecution not less than a week before the sentencing hearing after prosecution counsel, Alex Owens SC said this was acceptable to the state.

Judge O'Kelly then remanded Bal in continuing custody to appear again at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court on April 10th when a date will be fixed for sentencing in the case.