Russian Women Plead Not Guilty to Bernardino Attack Charges

The next court appearance for Syed Raheel Farook, a brother of a terrorist involved in the December San Bernardino attack, his wife Tatiana Farook and her sister Mariya Chernykh, both originally from Russia, has been scheduled for June 6, The Press Enterprise reports.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – On Thursday, all three were arrested by the FBI. They pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, marriage fraud and making false statements, the newspaper said on Thursday.

Russia's consulate in San Francisco told RIA Novosti on Thursday that the Russian authorities will provide all the needed consular assistance to Mariya and Tatiana.

Mariya is married to Enrique Marquez, who bought and provided weapons used in the San Bernardino terrorist attack. In 2015, the US authorities accused Marques of receiving money for marrying a woman who lived separately in Ontario.

Tatiana is a double-citizen of both the United States and Russia, and her sister Mariya has claimed that she also holds Russian citizenship, according to the consulate.

At present, Mariya faces 25 years in prison for marriage fraud, while the Farooks could spend five years in prison for aiding her, according to the US Justice Department.

In December 2015, US-born Rizwan Farook and his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, killing 14 people and injuring more than two dozen others.