Six charged after money-laundering and terrorist financing investigation
Abdurahim Mhadhbi at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin after he appeared before the District Court on charges of funding terrorism. Picture: Paddy Cummins
Four men and two women arrested in Dublin have been accused of money-laundering and international terrorism financing.
It follows an investigation by the Garda Special Detective Unit, which charged the six Uzbek and Irish nationals on Tuesday morning after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) issued directions to bring about 200 charges.
Former truck driver Oybek Jabbarov is accused of 101 offences.
Atica Umat, 68, mother of three Fatime Jabbarov, 43, and Oybek Jabbarov, who live at Gravel Walk Court, Dublin 7, Muhammad Amin, 37, Summer Street North, Dublin 1, and Abdurahim Mhadhbi, 25, and Dawood Mhadhbi 22, both of Dodderbrook Terrace, Ballycullen, Dublin, 24 were all charged with money laundering in connection with alleged offences in the 2010s.
Atica Umat, Oybek Jabbarov, and Muhammad Amin have further charges under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 for collecting, receiving or providing funds for the benefit of a terrorist group.
Mr Jabbarov alone has an additional charge for directing the activities of a criminal organisation from 2009 to 2019.
The six were charged at Garda stations around the city and then brought to appear before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court.There was no objection to bail with conditions.
The DPP has directed a trial on indictment at a higher level, and the judge adjourned five of the cases until October 23, when prosecutors are to serve them with books of evidence.
Mr Jabbarov was remanded in custody due to a jurisdictional issue regarding bail for his extra charge for directing a criminal organisation, which requires a High Court decision.
He will face his next hearing on September 19 at Cloverhill District Court.
His co-defendants were granted €500 bail with a range of conditions: surrender passports and not apply for travel documents, notify gardaà of any address changes, provide contact phone numbers, sign on regularly at their local Garda station and not transfer any money abroad.
Abdurahim Mhadhbi pleaded via his solicitor to be allowed to continue sending money “capped” at €150 a week to his family in Uzbekistan.
However, Judge Smyth noted Garda objections and refused.
They did not address the court, and the sums involved in the allegations were not read out during the hearing.
Four defendants received legal aid, and the judge noted their statements of means and that some were unemployed.
Abdurahim Mhadhbi, who has 48 charges, and Dawood Mhadhbi,
who has two charges, deferred making legal aid requests.
Judge Smyth heard Atica Umat’s responses to some of the charges against her were: “It’s not terrorism, it’s my son — he has four wives,” or “to my son, my family,” and “he is my son, his wives have children”. She made no reply to the rest of her 18 charges.
Fatime Jabbarov had 19 charges, and her replies included: “I sent it to my family, not terrorists”.
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