Six face trial for money laundering and terrorism financing charges

SIX people facing a series of money laundering and international terrorist financing charges have been sent for trial.

The Uzbek and Irish nationals – including a grandmother-of-50 – are facing more than 200 charges between them in what has been described as a “complex” case.

The four men and two women had books of evidence served on them at Dublin District Court.

Judge Bryan Smyth returned them for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Fatime Jabbarov (43) of Gravel Walk Court, Blackhall Place, Dublin 1; Muhammad Amin (37) of Summer Street North, Dublin 1 and Dawood Mhadhbi (22) of Dodderbrook Terrace, Ballycullen are charged with money laundering.

Oybek Jabbarov (45), Atica Umat (68) of Gravel Walk Court, and Abdurahim Mhadhbi (25) of Dodderbrook Terrace, are also charged with providing, collecting or receiving funds for the benefit of a terrorist group.

The alleged offences date back to the early 2010s.

Mr Jabbarov faces a further charge of directing the activities of a criminal organisation, between 2009 and 2019.

State solicitors said books of evidence were served on all accused.

Judge Smyth ordered the prosecution to disclose garda interview videos to the defence.

He gave them each the formal alibi notice before sending them forward on existing bail conditions to the present sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Oybek Jabborov said “yes” when he was asked if he understood the notice. The others also indicated they understood.

Solicitor Donal Quigley, representing Oybek and Fatime Jabbarov as well as Ms Umat, asked the judge to certify for both junior and senior counsel on free legal aid. He said this was not because of the value of the amounts of money allegedly involved in the case but the “sheer number of charges” and it was a “quite complicated matter.”

He also asked Judge Smyth to order the return of Ms Jabbarov and Ms Umat’s passports. This was for Ms Jabbarov to liaise with her social welfare officer and other matters, while Ms Umat wanted to travel to visit her “many” grandchildren. She had five here and 45 outside the state, Mr Quigley said.

The judge refused to return the passports, but both women were told they could have copies of the document.

Mr Amin’s bail requirement to sign on at a garda station three times per week was reduced to twice weekly at his lawyer’s request. He also sought two counsel on legal aid.

Abdurahum and Dawood Mhadhbi’s solicitor Damien Coffey in his request for second counsel said the case was complex, with exhibits running to 700 pages, including an assistance request for another jurisdiction and financial analysis.

Judge Smyth granted two counsel for Oybek Jabborov but said he did not think any of the other cases merited this. He said the defence lawyers could renew their applications in the circuit court.

The accused were all sent forward to the circuit court on December 8.

Previously, the court heard in reply to some charges, Ms Umat said: “it’s not terrorism, it’s my son, he has four wives”; “to my son, my family” and “he is my son, his wives have children.”

Ms Jabbarov a mother-of-three, had 19 charges, the court heard.

Her replies when cautioned included: “I sent it to my family, not terrorists”; “It’s probably my husband’s family”; “just my husband’s family”; “this is money I managed for my mother-in-law”; “I can’t tell”; “I sent it to my husband’s family”; “it’s family”; “it’s family, not terrorists” and “it’s my mother-in-law’s money”.

Mr Amin and Abdurahim Mhadhbi made no reply to any of the charges after caution. Dawood Mhadhbi said when charged with two money laundering offences: “I don’t recall it.”

Detective Sergeant Deirdre Ryan said Oybek Jabbarov was charged with 101 offences – 50 counts of money laundering, 50 of terrorist financing and one of directing the activities of a criminal organisation.

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