The Council on American-Islamic Relations – Greater Los Angeles Area office (CAIR-LA) is helping Saira Khan obtain custody of her six-old month niece, the child left orphaned by the jihadist couple who massacred 14 people and wounded 21 others in a terrorist attack in San Bernardino last week.

Mrs. Khan is the sister of Syed Farook who carried out the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife Tashfeen Malik.

CAIR-LA said its priority is to ensure the child is placed with a Muslim foster family.

Currently, the child, whose name is not being released, is in the custody of the San Bernardino County Child Protective Services.

Experts have predicted blood relatives will not win custody of the child, notes Fox News.

Nevertheless, the child’s aunt and uncle on her father’s side, assisted by an attorney with CAIR-LA, moved to obtain custody at an initial hearing today.

“Early this morning, Saira Khan and her mother attended an initial hearing relating to the custody of her six-month-old niece, the surviving child of Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, “ says CAIR-LA in a statement. “Fatima Dadabhoy, an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations – Greater Los Angeles Area office (CAIR-LA) was with the family.”

“A second hearing has been scheduled for January,” it continues. “The family is naturally distraught at the separation and are eagerly awaiting to obtain custody of the six-month-old girl. CAIR-LA is working to make sure that the baby is placed with a Muslim foster family while she remains in the custody of San Bernardino County Child Protective Services. It is also working with the family to ensure that the child is swiftly reunited with her family.”

CAIR has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates and was named by federal prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator in a funding operation linked to the terrorist group Hamas.

Hussam Ayloush, director of CAIR-LA, said the United States is “partly responsible” for the San Bernardino attack by by the jihadist couple, whom authorities say had been “radicalized for quite some time.” Malik, Farook’s wife reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) moments after the shooting began.

The murderous couple reportedly left their daughter at their Redlands, California home Wednesday with Rafia Farook, the gunman’s mother, saying they were on their way to a doctor’s appointment.

Instead, the couple drove to the Inland Regional Center, a state social services facility in San Bernardino, where they opened fired on Farook’s co-workers during a holiday party.

Saira Khan, Farook’s sister, and her husband reportedly expressed horror and shock at the couple’s actions after the attack.

“Farook and Saira Khan’s mother, Rafia, who appeared in Family Court Monday with Saira, has not spoken to the press but reportedly told authorities that–despite living in the home with her son, daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter–had no idea of the couple’s radical orientation or murderous intentions,” notes Fox News.

Saira Khan’s husband, Farhan Khan, confirmed to Fox News that the girl was not released to the family Monday. The Khan couple have two children of their own.

“For the time being, we want her to enjoy her innocence,” Saira Khan told ABC News. “You know, we don’t want her to know everything, but I think eventually she will find out probably on her own.”

“It’s harder for us to understand, especially knowing that he was our brother and he was so happy with her,” added Saira Khan, referring to suspected shooter Farook. “How can he leave his only child, you know? And how could the mother do this?”

Mrs. Khan described the Dec. 2 rampage as “horrific,” reports ABC News.

“We can’t begin to imagine what they’re going through,” she added, referring to the victim.

“We feel for them,” also said Mrs. Khan.

Photo: File