Undercover video shows 3 terrorism conspirators practicing at SoCal gun range

Rob McMillan Image
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Undercover video shows 3 terrorism conspirators practicing at SoCal gun range
Undercover footage shot by an FBI informant shows terrorism conspirators practicing at a Southern California gun range in September of 2012.

CHINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Undercover video shows three young men from the Inland Empire who wanted to help al Qaeda practicing at a local gun range in September of 2012.

Ralph Deleon, Miguel Santana and Arifeen Gojali were training in Southern California before planning to travel to Afghanistan in order to join up with Sohiel Kabir, who was already there.

The men from Ontario planned to join al Qaeda and kill as many U.S. soldiers as possible. But unbeknownst to them, an FBI informant was with them recording video and audio of their plans.

In recordings, the men could be heard discussing their choice of weapons and travel plans. Via skype, Kabir asked Deleon why he wanted to get married in the U.S., especially if he did not plan to return.

"But why are you trying to get married if you're trying to bounce?" Kabir asked.

"Nothing changes, I'm not going to leave her hanging, I'm leaving her in Allah's hands," Deleon answered.

But the trio never left the country. On Nov. 16, 2012, as they left their Chino apartment to head to the airport, they were cut off by an unmarked FBI vehicle.

FBI agents exited and arrested Deleon, Santana and Gojali.

But what authorities said they didn't know at the time was that in Riverside, Enrique Marquez, the suspect accused of providing San Bernardino terrorists Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik with their weapons, was allegedly making plans of his own along with Farook.

Prosecutors said he wanted to shoot up Riverside City College and open fire into traffic on the busy 91 Freeway. But prosecutors said he was scared off perhaps because of the arrests in Chino.