Washington, Dec 10 (EFE).- Muslim convert Enrique Marquez who bought two assault rifles used in the San Bernardino mass shooting had planned another attack in 2012 together with Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, officials told CNN Wednesday.
Marquez and Farook, who were neighbors and childhood friends, abandoned their plan in 2012 following an FBI operation at that time in which four people were arrested in United States, who were planning to travel abroad to join the jihadists.
Hours after the Dec. 2 attack, which killed 14 and injured 21, Marquez posted on Facebook saying, "I'm very sorry guys. It was a pleasure", and the next day voluntarily admitted himself into a psychiatric center.
Marquez, 24 , who is under investigation by the police, admitted buying two assault rifles for Farook years ago, to avoid them being registered in his name.
So far, charges have not been filed against Marquez, who claims to have no knowledge of Farook and his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik's plans of carrying out the deadly attack at the center for disabled people in San Bernardino.
Meanwhile, FBI Director James Comey said at a Senate hearing Wednesday he is trying to find out if Farook and Malik's recent marriage was in fact a cover to carry out the jihadist attacks.
"I don't know the answer to that yet but that would be a very, very important thing to know," Comey replied when asked about the nature of the marriage between the two terrorists.
Besides being neighbors and childhood friends, Farook and Marquez have family ties, since Marquez married last year a Russian citizen named Mariya Chernykh, who is the sister of Tatiana Chernykh, wife of Farook's brother.
Authorities are also investigating whether the marriage of Marquez, who like Farook is a U.S. citizen, was a façade for Chernykh to obtain nationality, since according to reports they were not living together as partners.
