The husband of accused ISIS-savage wannabe Noelle Velentzas insists she really loves America — and says building bombs made out of gas tanks, fertilizer and a pressure cooker was the very furthest thing from her mind.
The 51-year-old man, who uses the admitted alias Abu Bakr, was sure the propane tanks authorities found at the home of his wife’s alleged accomplice would never have been used for explosives.
“You can’t convince me that those propane tanks were going to be used for that because I know they were going to be used for barbecues,” he claimed.
And the pressure cooker federal agents confiscated?
“It was sitting here for eight months,” he said. “It was like, dirty. It had grease all over it.”
Velentzas did have an image of bin Laden on her phone, Abu Bakr conceded. And he admitted her political views might even “raise a few eyebrows.” But he had an explanation for all of that, too.
Her admiration for the man who attacked New York City is based only on the fact that he helped the Afghans to drive out the Russians.
“She doesn’t support 9/11,” the husband said.
Prosecutors also confiscated cutlery and gardening equipment, not to mention two machetes.
But Abu Bakr says he can’t figure out why they bothered.
“They took two knives, which I had for more than 15 years,” he said. “They were in a box packed up. They also took two machetes I occasionally use . . . to clear yards and do gardening.”
Federal agents arrested the 28-year-old Velentzas, and her pal, Asia Siddiqui, 31, on Thursday, based largely on recorded meetings they had with an undercover agent.
Abu Bakr said he’d never believe the accusations against his wife.
“She couldn’t even hit the baby,” he said, referring to their 5-year-old daughter.
“I just want people to know that’s not her . . . She never had any intentions of hurting anybody. This is her country, these are her people,” he said.
“She’s a role model for women who really, really want to live as God-fearing women,” Abu Bakr said proudly. “She’s passionate about her religion.”