Terror Funding Mother and Daughter from East London Jailed after Counter Terrorism Investigation

Stella Oyella and Vanessa Atim, a mother and daughter from east London, were sentenced to prison for sending money to a relative who joined Daesh in Syria.

Following a painstaking investigation by counter-terrorism officers at the Met, authorities proved Oyella and Atim knowingly arranged funds for the terrorist activities of Joseph Ogaba, their relative who in 2014 left the UK to join Daesh. He died in prison in July 2022 after being captured by Syrian Defence Forces.

The investigation revealed that Oyella, 53 and Atim, 32 took elaborate steps to hide their tracks, sending over £1,800 cash through contacts in Uganda and the Middle East.

On March 18th, Oyella received a three-year sentence, and Atim was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment for terrorist fundraising.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said:

“These women went to great lengths to first arrange, and then distance themselves from money transfers to Ogaba. They knew he had travelled to Syria to join a terrorist group and by sending him cash, they helped him remain with Daesh.

“This case shows how we work with our international partners to close the net on people who support terrorist activity, no matter how much time has passed.”

Ogaba’s Journey to Daesh

Joseph Ogaba, a convert to Islam from north London, left for Syria in September 2014. He travelled via Germany and Turkey, and before his departure, he left a note to inform his family of his intentions to join Daesh.

Unearthing the Funding Scheme

Ports officers detained Atim at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in March 2018 and again on 21 December 2018 under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 provided. Authorities seized her devices and found messaging app conversations hinting at money transfers were a crucial lead.

The missing piece of the puzzle emerged in 2019 when a computer hard drive linked to Ogaba, recovered by Syrian authorities, was analyzed by detectives. This hard drive contained scanned money transfer receipts matching the dates, times, and amounts discussed in the messages found on Atim’s devices.

Evidence of Extremism

The hard drive also held disturbing content. Pictures of Ogaba confirmed his involvement with ISIS, and extremist material depicting weapons and explosives was found.

Following the Money Trail

Investigators meticulously examined the transactions carefully piecing them together. They discovered that between March and October 2017, Oyella and Atim orchestrated a scheme to collect money in the UK. This money was then transferred overseas, often first to someone in Uganda, before finally reaching contacts in the Middle East who delivered the cash to Ogaba.

Commander Murphy added: “The use of counter-terrorism powers by officers at the airport was crucial in discovering how Ogaba’s family members were supporting him financially.

“And it was the specialist skills of officers within our National Terrorist Financing Investigation Unit which helped pinpoint the transactions that led to this prosecution.”

Oyella and Atim were interviewed by counter terrorism officers in June and December 2021 respectively, and charged on 11 October 2022.

They were found guilty of terrorist fundraising (contrary to section 17 of the Terrorism Act 2000), after a trial at the Old Bailey which concluded on 20 December 2023.

The National Terrorist Financing Investigation Unit (NTFIU) is based within the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and is comprised of specialist investigators, analysts and researchers who investigate suspicious financial activity where they believe it may have links to terrorism.

Communities defeat terrorism, and information from the public is vital to counter terrorism investigations. If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious and think someone may be engaging in terrorist activity, trust your instincts and act by reporting it in confidence at gov.uk/ACT or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, dial 999.

Visit the ACT Early website for help and support to anyone who you suspect may be being radicalised.

Terrorist content can be reported online and anonymously via gov.uk/report-terrorism.