Khalid Kelly: In Dublin court in March to support suspected jihadi recruiter in extradition case

The Dublin-born jihadist, Terence “Khalid” Kelly, was in the Four Courts in Dublin in March of this year when a man from the Middle East, said to have been a recruiter for Islamic terrorists, was fighting an extradition order.

Kelly, holding a plastic bag, sat outside court 24 in the Four Courts complex with the alleged Islamic State recruiter, while the latter waited for his hearing to begin. The two bearded men spoke very little and gave the appearance of being relaxed, and even bored.

When the case began, Kelly sat in the court with the man from the Middle East, listening to the lawyers argue the case in front of Mr Justice Richard Humphries.

The State, which wanted to deport the Middle Eastern man to Jordan, said he made travel arrangements for others to fight in countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was described as “a senior operative of Isil” and its “foremost organiser and facilitator within the State”.

The man, who denied the allegations, cannot be named for legal reasons. One of his sons has been killed in the fighting in Syria, and another has been detained at times by the Jordanian intelligence, the court heard.

At one stage Kelly took a pouch of Capri Sun orange drink from his plastic bag and offered it to the man whose case was being heard. The Middle Eastern man appeared to frown and declined the offer. Kelly then opened the pouch and began to drink the juice through a straw, while sitting listening to the case.

The Middle Eastern man’s case, that he should be granted asylum and not be deported, was unsuccessful. He was eventually deported.