CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A maternal uncle who hosted the Chattanooga shooter in Jordan for a few months last year is a businessman with no links to any militant groups, his attorney says.

Abed al-Kader Ahmad al-Khateeb is the lawyer for the uncle, Asaad Ibrahim Asaad Haj Ali.

Al-Khateeb told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Haj Ali has been detained since the day after his nephew Mohamad Youssef Abdulazeez attacked two military sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killing four Marines and a sailor. The attacks took place July 16. The attorney said Haj Ali has not been charged with any crimes.

Al-Khateeb said Abdulazeez stayed with the uncle in Jordan, but only to help him with his small cellphone business. Al-Khateeb said neither Abdulazeez nor his uncle was religious or belonged to any sort of political organization.