San Bernardino attacker’s friend expected to be charged

Investigators have said Mr. Marquez bought two semi-automatic rifles three years ago that wound up being used in the shooting that killed 14 people.

Marquez has told officials that he did it as a favour, so that Farook would not have to go through a background check or be on record as the purchaser, the report said.

Marquez was a friend and former neighbor of Syed Rizwan Farook, the American-born local government health inspector, who carried out the massacre in San Bernardino, California with his Pakistani wife, Tashfeen Malik, before police killed them hours later in a massive exchange of gunfire.

Agents have been investigating whether those men or any of their associates – or the FBI’s confidential informant in that case – had contact with Farook or Marquez.

Marquez, 24, is literally the boy next door in this unfolding narrative: He lived for many years with his family in a one-story beige house directly next to Farook. Farook’s sister and brother-in-law have said they hope to adopt their niece.

Marquez was said to be a convert to Islam but was not a member of that mosque, Azmi Hasan said.

The female shooter, Malik, from Pakistan, came to the US on a fiance visa and married Farook – already a USA citizen.

Marquez was a state-licensed security guard until his license expired a year ago.

He also told investigators that he used to build pipe bombs with Farook, portraying himself and his friend as hobbyists experimenting with building the devices, law enforcement officials said.

Law enforcement officials spoke with NBC, saying Enrique Marquez is the first person to face criminal charges stemming from the San Bernardino shooting.

Meanwhile, FBI Director James Comey said the investigation team has not found any evidence that point the couple attackers were part of any terrorist call even though they were inspired by the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

President Barack Obama is expected to travel to San Bernardino on Friday to meet privately with families of the victims of this month’s attack.