By Conor Kane
A man who admitted providing funding to the terrorist organisation Islamic State is due to be sentenced in June.
Hassan Bal (26), formerly of O’Connell Street, Waterford, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two terrorist-related offences and was remanded in custody in January.
He was brought back before Waterford Circuit Court on Tuesday 10th April and Judge Eugene O’Kelly was told that a report from an expert on radicalisaion, requested by the defence, is not yet ready. However, it should be finalised by the time the current court sessions are over in June.
Noel Whelan BL, prosecuting, asked that the case be adjourned to May 30 with a view to fixing a date in June for sentencing.
Judge O’Kelly agreed to this request, on consent by Conor Roberts BL, defending. He remanded Hassan Bal in continuing custody, to May 30, when a date will be set for sentencing.
Hassan Bal pleaded guilty in January to unlawfully transferring €400 by means of an An Post/Western Union transaction to a Stevo Maksimovic in the Bosnian city of Brako on October 2 of 2015.
This was done with him intending or knowing that the money would be used in whole or in part for the benefit of the terrorist group, Islamic State.
He also pleaded guilty to communicating by phone with an intermediary in London on October 23 of 2015, in an attempt to collect or receive cash for Islamic State, from a person known to him as Omar Abu Azid, at an address at Geron Way, London.
The charges are contrary to Section 13 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act of 2005. The maximum sentence is 20 years imprisonment.
