US Police Arrest Three in Connection with San Bernardino Shooting

The FBI arrested three individuals early Thursday, April 28, in connection with the San Bernardino shooting, including the brother of the main shooter, Syed Rizwan Farook. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Attorney's Office states that besides Raheel Farook, Rizwan's brother, his wife Tatiana Farook was also arrested. The third individual, Maria Chernykh, is the wife of Enrico Marquez Jr., a friend of Farook, who has been accused of complicity in the violence. Both women are Russian immigrants. Investigators say that Chernykh and Enrico Marquez were involved in a fake marriage scheme to obtain immigration benefits and lied under oath. The Associated Press reports it has been unable to contact the Farook family's lawyers regarding this matter. The Los Angeles Times has reported that these two Russian immigrants were arrested at Raheel Farook's home after a search warrant was executed by the FBI. Federal investigators say a second search warrant has been issued to search Chernykh's home in Ontario. The report indicates that based on police investigations into the San Bernardino terrorist attack, federal investigators concluded that Marquez was paid to marry Chernykh, and this Russian national only participated in the wedding to gain residency in the U.S. Federal investigators had interrogated Chernykh as part of the investigation into the San Bernardino terrorist attack, and they say she falsely claimed during questioning that she lived with Marquez while actually residing in Ontario. The three suspects are expected to appear in federal court later Thursday. Rizwan Farook and his wife killed 14 people during an attack on attendees at an event in San Bernardino, California, last December, and they were killed by police gunfire. FBI officials have stated that the perpetrators of this attack were influenced by the Islamic State group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.