San Bernardino

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Friend of San Bernardino Attacker

A federal grand jury has indicted a long-time friend of one of the San Bernardino attack shooters on charges of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, adding two more counts than he was initially facing.

Enrique Marquez Jr. was indicted for allegedly conspiring with Syed Rizwan Farook in 2011 and 2012. He was also charged with lying about the purchase of weapons used in the shooting and making false statements about his marriage to a relative of one of the attackers.

The pair had planned attacks on Riverside City College and the busy 91 Freeway, but neither plan was carried out. Marquez has been held without bail for more than a week.

"This indictment demonstrates that we will hold accountable all individuals who collaborate with terrorists in executing their plans," said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker, in a written statement.

Marquez was also charged Wednesday with two counts of making false statements regarding his purchase of two assault rifles that authorities say were later used by Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, in the Dec. 2 attack that left 14 people dead at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino.

“Mr. Marquez is charged for his role in a conspiracy several years ago to target innocent civilians in our own backyard with cold-blooded terror attacks, and with providing weapons to an individual whose endgame was murder,” said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, in a statement.

"The covert nature of the defendant's alleged actions is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in preventing attacks planned in the name of violent jihad, and underscores the critical need for those with knowledge about terror plots to come forward."

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Marquez is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Riverside on Jan. 6. It was not immediately clear if his attorney had a comment.

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