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Feds Allege Friend of San B'dino Mass Shooter Together Conspired On Add'l Horrific Terrorist Attacks, Including Attacking Portion Of 91 Fwy With No Exits At Afternoon Rush Hour, Throw Pipe Bombs Onto Fwy, With One Man Moving Along Stopped Vehicles And Shooting Into Them While The Other Shot Into Vehicles From Nearby Hillside And Watched For Emergency And Law Enforcement Personnel To Shoot Them On Arrival


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(Dec. 17, 2015) -- A criminal complaint filed today (Dec. 17) by the U.S. Attorney's Office alleges that Enrique Marquez, Jr., a friend of San Bernardino mass shooter Syed Rizwan Farook, allegedly together conspired to commit horrific terrorist acts beyond the Dec. 2 mass shooting (in which Marquez didn't participate.)

According to the complaint affidavit [allegations by an FBI Special Agent investigating Int'l Terrorism and Computer Intrusions], in late 2011 Marquez and Farook started planning to use firearms and explosives to carry out terrorist attacks that Marquez told investigators [US Attorney's office release text] "were designed to maximize the number of casualties that could be inflicted."

[US Attorney's office release text, bracketed material by LBREPORT.com for clarity] The affidavit [allegations] recounts a recent interview with Marquez in which he admitted making plans with Farook to attack the library or cafeteria at Riverside Community College (RCC), where both men had been students. The plan allegedly was to throw pipe bombs into the cafeteria area from an elevated position on the second floor, and then to shoot people as they fled.

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Marquez and Farook also planned to attack eastbound lanes of State Route 91 (SR-91) [exact area not specified in affidavit] during afternoon rush hour, the affidavit states. Marquez told investigators that they chose a particular section of the freeway because there were no exits, which would increase the number of targets in the eastbound lanes. The plan was for Farook to throw pipe bombs on to the freeway, which they believed would disable vehicles and stop traffic. Farook allegedly planned to then move among stopped vehicles, shooting into them, while Marquez shot into vehicles from a position on a nearby hillside. Marquez allegedly said that he would watch for law enforcement and emergency vehicles, and his priority was to shoot law enforcement before shooting life-saving personnel.

According to the affidavit, Marquez and Farook took steps to carry out their plans by purchasing firearms, ammunition and other tactical gear, as well as going to local firing ranges. In late 2011 and 2012, Marquez allegedly purchased two firearms and portrayed himself as the actual purchaser of the rifles, when he was in fact buying the weapons for Farook as part of the plan to attack RCC and SR-91. According to the affidavit, Marquez told investigators that he agreed to purchase the weapons because "his appearance was Caucasian, while Farook looked Middle-Eastern." Investigators have determined that on November 14, 2011, Marquez purchased a Smith and Wesson M&P-15 Sport rifle for Farook. On February 22, 2012, Marquez purchased a DPMS model A-15 rifle, according to records in the affidavit, which states that each rifle cost approximately $750.

Around the same time as he purchased the firearms for Farook, Marquez purchased explosives -- specifically smokeless powder -- "in furtherance of his and Farook's plans to create bombs and commit mass killings," according to the affidavit.

In the first half of 2012, Marquez and Farook allegedly continued to prepare for terrorist attacks by going to firing ranges to practice shooting guns and further discussing extremist ideologies. After 2012, Marquez allegedly distanced himself from Farook and ceased plotting with Farook for a variety of reasons, including the arrest of Ralph Deleon and others on material support for terrorism charges in November 2012.

The complaint affidavit alleges the following timeline of events based on the investigation to date: On the morning of December 2, 2015, shortly after 9:00., Farook went to an event at the IRC and placed an item on a table. Following the shooting at the IRC, investigators discovered a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) on a table -- a pipe bomb constructed out of three galvanized steel pipes and smokeless powder that was armed and ready to detonate. A subsequent search of Farook's residence led to the discovery of smokeless powder that Marquez allegedly admitted purchasing in 2011 while planning terrorist acts with Farook. In addition, a remote control was found in the sports utility vehicle after Farook and his wife Tafsheen Malik were killed. In his interview with investigators, Marquez allegedly stated that the smokeless powder was purchased to be used in the construction of an "explosive device." According to the affidavit, Marquez described his familiarity with the use of remote-control devices to detonate IEDs, and said he and Farook reviewed instructions on how to make IEDs that were in Inspire Magazine.

According to the affidavit, subsequent investigation determined that on the morning of the shooting, a Facebook account associated with Malik searched for materials related to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Shortly after the shooting, a post on a Facebook page associated with Malik said, "We pledge allegiance to Khalifa bu bkr al bhaghdadi al quraishi" which the affidavit alleges is a reference to the leader of ISIL.

After Farook and Malik were killed in the shooting that ended the pursuit, authorities recovered four firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Among the firearms recovered were the two rifles that Marquez allegedly purchased for Farook several years earlier. Forensic testing has confirmed that the two rifles were used in the attack on the IRC...

The affidavit also alleges that in approximately 2005, Marquez moved to Riverside, where he met Farook, who was his next-door neighbor.

[US Att'y office text] After their initial meeting, Farook introduced Marquez to Islam, and, in 2007, Marquez converted to Islam. Farook later introduced Marquez to radical Islamic ideology, which included expressing disdain towards Muslims in the U.S. military who killed other Muslims, as well as discussing the extremist views of the now-deceased imam and Islamic lecturer Anwar al-Aulaqi. Over the next few years, Farook provided Marquez with radical Islamic materials, and by 2011, Marquez spent most of his time at Farook's residence listening to lectures and watching videos involving radical Islamic content. Those materials included Inspire Magazine, the official publication of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and videos produced by Al-Shabaab. In August 2011, Farook informed Marquez of his interest in joining AQAP in Yemen...

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The U.S. Attorney office notes that "a criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. he charge of providing material support to terrorists carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. The charge of making a false statement in connection with acquisition of firearms carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The visa fraud count carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison."

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