UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: The Department of Justice has revealed that Enrique Marquez, the man responsible for purchasing two assault rifles later used in the San Bernardino, Calif., shooting, has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, making a false statement in connection with acquisition of firearms and immigration fraud for what authorities said was a fake marriage to a distant relative of Farook's, according to NBC News.
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Federal prosecutors have decided that the friend and former neighbor of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook, Enrique Marquez, will have federal criminal charges filed against him for his connection to the attacks.
U.S. officials report that the charges against Marquez, 24, are based on allegations that he purchased two rifles used by Farook and Tashfeen Malik during the Dec. 2 shooting, according to Politico. These charges can be brought up against him as early as Thursday.
They add that while Marquez admitted to buying the weapons as a favor several years ago so that Farook would not have to to go through a background check or go on record as being the buyer, he has denied any knowledge of the shooting prior to it being carried out.
Marquez also revealed during questioning that he and Farook talked about conducting a 2012 terror attack, but opted not to carry it out after unrelated terrorism alerts popped up in the area, reported CNN. The FBI investigated this claim and found no connection between Farook and the people arrested back then.
FBI Director James Comey said on Wednesday that contrary to previous reports, investigators have not found any social media postings by Malik that would identify her as a terrorist prior to her coming to the U.S., reported NBC News. Instead, all indicators of such affiliations were done in the form of private messages and emails sent between her and Farook.
In the meantime, the White House has announced that President Barack Obama will meet with the shooting victims and their families in San Bernardino on Friday.
