Enrique Marquez indicted as co-conspirator in San Bernardino terror attack

Enrique Marquez indicted as co-conspirator in San Bernardino terror attack

Enrique Marquez is finishing 2015 with an indictment by a federal grand jury of conspiring with San Bernardino terrorists Sayed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik.

Marquez, who was arrested two weeks ago, also faces two counts of making a false statement when buying two rifles, one count of marriage fraud and one count of making a false statement on immigration paperwork.

Marquez is suspected of buying rifles used by Farook and Farook’s wife, Tashfeen Malik, in the December 2 mass shooting that left 14 people dead in the Southern California city. Farook and Malik were killed in a shootout with police a few hours later.

Authorities said Marquez, 24, and Farook, who he met in college, planned terror attacks but never carried one out.

Marquez bought firearms from local stores in late 2011 and early 2012, authorities said. Although he identified himself as the buyer at the time, he actually bought the rifles for Farook as part of their plans to attack a college and a freeway, according to the federal complaint.

Marquez converted to Islam in 2007, and studied the Koran with Farook as one of his teachers.

“Before then, Farook and Marquez were often seen spending long afternoons tinkering on old cars in the driveway of Farook’s home. After Marquez converted to Islam, Farook’s religion, he prayed at a local mosque and married a member of Farook’s extended family, a Russian emigre.”

“Authorities say Marquez has told the FBI that he and Farook talked about conducting some kind of attack in 2010 but called it off after unrelated terrorism arrests in southern California,” NBC News reported.An ABC video report summarizes the indictment.

Marquez was denied bail during a previous court appearance.

Of the 22 victims who were wounded in the attack, only 2 remain hospitalized. One of them, Julie Swann-Paez, is slated to be released from a rehabilitation hospital shortly.

Swann-Paez, 50, said in a Facebook post that she has had three to four hours of physical and occupational therapy each day at Loma Linda University Medical Center’s East Branch, where she has been since Dec. 11.

“Just hoisting myself into a sitting position is a huge workout, but with each day I see I can do a little more physically and have a little more stamina. I am able to use a walker to walk using just one leg that I can bear weight on…. unfortunately, I can only count steps in double digits and I feel like I just ran a marathon with the few steps I take.”

Swann-Paez will finish recuperating at her home in San Bernardino, said her husband, Jesus Paez. He said he is worried that doctors won’t be accessible at all hours.

Despite her extensive injuries, Swann-Paez remains upbeat and positive, he said.

She was shot twice during the terrorist attack at Inland Regional Center that killed 14 people and injured 22. Rods were inserted to stabilize her shattered pelvis.

Hopefully the remaining hospitalized victim from the attack will be returning home shortly after the start of 2016.

On the other hand, it is likely that 2016 will be the first of many long years Marquez will be imprisoned.

(Featured image from Fox News Channel video).

Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.