Enrique Marquez, San Bernardino Shooter’s Friend, Charged With Aiding Terror Plot

Enrique Marquez, the longtime friend of San Bernardino gunman Syed Rizwan Farook, has been arrested and charged in connection to the mass shooting that killed 14 people earlier this month.

Enrique Marquez Charged

Marquez, 24, was charged with conspiring to give material support to a terrorist plot on Thursday, according to a charging statement released by federal officials, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Marquez purchased the two semiautomatic riles that Farook and his wife Tashfeek Malik used in the shooting at the holiday party held for San Bernardino County’s public health department at the Inland Regional Center. U.S. officials confirmed last week that Marquez told them that he had bought the assault weapons for Farook a number of years ago, and that he and his late friend had planned a 2012 attack that they ultimately chose not to go through with, reported CNN.

Officials initially thought that it was possible that Marquez was lying about the 2012 plot. It was believed that he may have fabricated the narrative in an effort to minimize his apparent guilt in the shooting that came to fruition on Dec. 2.

Marquez had known Farook since childhood, when the two lived next door to one another, reported the Wall Street Journal. Though Farook ended up moving to another neighborhood earlier this year, the two remained close and would often work on cars in Marquez’s driveway, according to one of his neighbors.

Several years ago, Marquez converted to Islam and was often seen attending sermons at a local mosque that Farook and his family also attended. Marquez is said to have stopped going to mosque a couple of years ago, but remained close to the Farook family and became related by marriage in 2014 when he married Farook’s brother’s sister-in-law, Mariya Chernykh. Despite signing a marriage certificate on Nov. 29, 2014, there are virtually no other signs that the two lived legitimately as a married couple. Investigators are looking into the marriage.

Two days after the devastating shooting at the Inland Regional Center, Marquez checked himself into a mental health facility. He had also posted a Facebook message that read, “I’m. Very sorry sguys. It was a pleasure.” Upon submitting to interrogation, he waved his Miranda rights and was apparently forthcoming with investigators.

Farook, 28, and Malik, 29, were killed during a shoot-out with police that occurred hours after their attack.