ALOHA, Ore. —  Friends and family spoke out Thursday in defense of the Portland lawyer being held as part of the investigation into the deadly train bombings in Spain.

FBI officials said 37-year-old Brandon Mayfield (search) was taken into custody on a material witness warrant. The FBI also searched Mayfield's Aloha home.

Mayfield's wife, Mona, said her husband is "a good man, a good father, a good husband." She said the couple has three children.

Mona Mayfield (search) said her husband was born in Coos Bay, and served in the U.S. Army.

She said he attended Portland State University (search), and Lewis and Clark University in Portland. Brandon Mayfield passed the Oregon bar in 2000.

He converted to Islam in 1989, she said, and attends a mosque in Beaverton.

Portland attorney Thomas Nelson described himself as Mayfield's friend and mentor. He called Mayfield a regular, run-of-the-mill guy.

Nelson said Mayfield will be represented by a public defender.