As the days progress it appears Donald Trump was correct about the familial networking of Islamist activity surrounding the San Bernardino terrorist attacks. CNN is now stating federal investigators believe Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik were intent on Islamic Jihad long before they met.
[…] the husband-wife team behind the San Bernardino attacks, were radicalized before they even met each other, the FBI director said Wednesday.
“They were actually radicalized before they started courting or dating each other online, and online as early as the end of 2013, they were talking to each other about jihad and martyrdom before they became engaged and then married and lived together in the United States,” FBI Director James Comey said at a Senate oversight hearing.
“We also believe they were inspired by foreign terrorist organizations,” he added. “We’re working very hard to understand exactly their association and the source of their inspiration.” (link)
Additionally, the angle of weapons purchaser Enrique Marquez, and his relationship to the Farook family appears to be more intertwined than previously disclosed.
Enrique Marquez is “married” to Russian born Mariya Chernykh, (aka Mariya Gigliotti).
Mariya (Enrique’s “wife”) is the sister of, Tatiyana Farook (aka: Tatiyana Chernykn, Tatiyana Gigliotti) who is married to Raheel Farook, the terrorist Syed Farook’s brother who served in the U.S. Navy.
However, the marriage between Enrique Marquez and Mariya Chernykh appears -at least on first exam- to be a marriage of convenience, perhaps to obtain a permanent residency card (green card) for Raheel’s sister-in-law.
Media reports indicate Enrique was generally alone and never seen with Mariya (his wife) which would indicate they held no actual relationship beyond the technical marriage.
ABC News has an outline including:
[…] Chernykh initially came to U.S. to visit her sister, but decided to stay because she liked living in America.
How Chernykh was introduced to Marquez is unclear, but when Chernykh submitted a citizenship application after she and Marquez signed their marriage license, it was Syed Raheel Farook who stepped in and vouched for Marquez, saying he would have the financial means to support his new wife.
Other than the marriage certificate Marquez and Chernykh signed on Nov. 29, 2014, however, there is very little evidence that the two were a real married couple, according to friends, public records, and a review of social media accounts.
Chernykh shared an address not with Marquez, but with another man, Oscar Romero, according to public records. Chernykh and Romero posed frequently in photos together with a baby girl, whom they refer to as their daughter, until just two months before Chernykh’s marriage to Marquez when all mention of Oscar Romero disappears from Chernykh’s page. Chernykh took Romero’s name, calling herself Maria Romero on Russian social media sites, even after the marriage. And Romero referred to her as his wife on one of his social media accounts. Chernykh’s social media page was taken down after ABC News reached out for comment for this report. (read more)
Enrique Marquez was a noted friend of terrorist Syed Farook who was killed (along with his wife Tashfeen Malik) in the SUV shootout following the attack. Marquez was also the purchaser of the long-guns used by Syed and Tashfeen.
Back to Raheel Farook (terrorist brother) It appears both Tatiyana and Mariya emigrated from Russia to the U.S.
Tatiyana married Raheel Farook (became a permanent resident) and Mariya married Enrique Marquez (became a permanent resident).
An old MySpace Account (discovered by Ziiggii) for Tatiyana Gigliotti shows both Tatiyana and Maryia in Cancun Mexico with Raheel Farook during what looks like a vacation of sorts. (Dates Unknown)
Tatiyana and Mariya, sisters, emigrated from Russia. Tatiyana gaining U.S. residency with marriage to Raheel; and Mariya gaining residency with marriage to Enrique. However, Mariya and Enrique are not in an emotional relationship.
So the question becomes did Raheel desire a relationship with both sisters, perhaps two wives (U.S. illegal), and use his brothers’ friend Enrique to facilitate?
Back to Enrique – Via CNN
[…] Enrique Marquez, the former neighbor and friend of Farook, told investigators that both men conceived an attack in 2012 also in California, but they abruptly abandoned the plan, U.S. officials tell CNN.
Marquez told investigators that part of the reason the two didn’t carry out their plans was that they were spooked by unrelated FBI arrests around that time of four people charged with attempting to travel abroad to carry out jihad.
Marquez had bought guns for Farook that were among those used by Farook and his wife in the San Bernardino attacks last week.
Officials caution that Marquez’s claim of a 2012 attack could turn out to be not true and an attempt to deflect his role in helping buy weapons that Farook later used in the San Bernardino attack.
Marquez has told investigators he didn’t know about the plans for the San Bernardino shooting attack. He has not been charged with a crime. (read more)
It would appear the 2012 incident and arrest of the four individuals discussed by Enrique with the FBI is this story:
(2012 Via HuffPo) Four California residents are suspected of plotting to wage “violent jihad,” by joining forces with al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Federal authorities allege the men — two U.S. citizens and two legal permanent residents — planned to attack American military staff and bases overseas.
News of the arrest became public on Monday, when three of the suspects appeared in U.S. District Court in Riverside, Calif. The trio were charged with plotting to provide material support to terrorists, KTLA reported.
The defendents named in the criminal complaint are:
- Sohiel Omar Kabir, 34, who was born in Afghanistan. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen and previously lived in Pomona, Calif.
- Ralph Deleon, 23, who was born in the Philippines. He is a legal permanent resident and lives in Ontario, Calif.
- Miguel Alejandro Santana Vidriales (referred to in the complaint as Santana), 21, who was born in Mexico. He is a legal permanent resident and lives in Upland, Calif. His application for U.S. citizenship is pending.
- Arifeen David Gojali, 21, who lives in Riverside, Calif., and is a U.S. citizen.
Federal authorities allege that in 2010, Kabir introduced Deleon and Santana to the violent teachings of American cleric Anwar Al-Awlaqi, a now-deceased radical Islamic imam and leader in the al Qaeda chapter in Yemen. (read more)