Authorities are not ruling out the possibility of a third terrorist or other co-conspirators in the December 2 Islamic terror attacks that left 14 dead and 22 injured in San Bernardino, California.
Eyewitness Sally Abdelmageed told media outlets in December that she saw three attackers in military-style dress, according to ABC News. The outlet questioned Abdelmageed again this week, and she confirmed that she stands by her previous statement.
FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller told ABC News that evidence shows two weapons fired during the attack at the Inland Regional Center (IRC). Muslim convert Enrique Marquez has been charged as a straw purchaser of two weapons used in the attack.
San Bernardino police lieutenant Mike Madden said that he believes the initial reports of three attackers can possibly be explained by the idea that witnesses may have seen the same attacker a second time thinking that it was a separate attacker, according to the report.
A witness outside the center saw only two individuals get into the black SUV, a counter-terrorism official told the media outlet. That witness’s account was considered more credible with regard to the number of attackers than accounts from those inside what was called the “killing room” inside the IRC.
Authorities have pieced together the timeline of Farook and K-1 financée visa bride Tashfeen Malik, between the IRC shooting and the shootout with police that left the two dead. Yet despite their best efforts, 18 minutes of approximately four hours has remained unaccounted for and unexplained. Authorities have speculated that attackers Farook and Malik could have met with a co-conspirator during this period of time.
Court orders have also been issued to compel a reluctant Apple, Inc. to assist in unlocking the government-issued iPhone used by terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook. Apple remains defiant in spite of the court order and bipartisan calls for the technology giant to assist in the investigation.
Reports also arose following the attack of an individual who ran from police and was later determined to not be a suspect in the attack. He was, however, booked on a misdemeanor charge.
A search warrant was executed on Thursday at the home of Farook’s brother, Syed Raheel Farook. The warrant remained unsealed at the time of the search, and authorities did not reveal what they were seeking.
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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