Report: DHS Official Protected San Bernardino Terror Suspect From Authorities

How is it that a federal official is allowed to impede a terrorism case and face no punitive repercussions? This is what happened in the case where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-USCIS (part of the Department of Homeland Security-DHS) supervisor Irene Martin restricted access to five armed DHS agents. The agents were sent in response to FBI knowledge that Enrique Marquez, the man who allegedly provided weapons to the perpetrators of the San Bernardino shooting, was arranged to have an interview (along with his wife, Mariya Chernykh) with Martin’s personnel the day after the actual attack.

At the time Marquez and his wife were likely under suspicion by immigration services for their fraudulent marriage. Authorities later described the intention of the two individuals noting, “They wed so she could obtain immigration benefits unavailable to her as a Russian citizen without legal status in the U.S.” Investigators assert Marquez in return received $200 per month to ‘marry’ Mariya Chernykh (sister to the wife of Syed Raheel Farook/older brother to one of the terrorists in San Bernardino shooting).

So, when federal officials went to USCIS to apprehend Marquez, Martin denied them access to the suspect. Fox News reports on the incident:

It is not clear what disciplinary action Martin could face, but the report last week faulted her for making agents wait more than 90 minutes before she gave them access to related files on the suspected terrorist, and then she dismissively ordered them to hand copy files, according to the federal report. Agents told building security they intended to arrest Marquez to prevent him from killing anyone, but Martin had them wait 30 minutes just to see her. When questioned by IG investigators later, Martin repeatedly changed her story and also contradicted what other witnesses said.

(Read more from “Report: DHS Official Protected San Bernardino Terror Suspect From Authorities” HERE)

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