Army Soldier Sentenced to 14 Years for Plotting to Aid ISIS Attacks

 

A former U.S. Army soldier, Cole Bridges, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after attempting to provide material support to ISIS and plotting to help the terrorist organization launch deadly attacks on American troops. Bridges, who also goes by the name Cole Gonzales, hails from Stow, Ohio, and was sentenced on Friday to 168 months in prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. His guilty plea, which came on June 14, 2023, was the culmination of a lengthy investigation into his radicalization and plans to assist ISIS.

According to the Department of Justice, Bridges began his descent into extremism before joining the U.S. Army. In 2019, he became immersed in online propaganda promoting jihadist ideology, aligning himself with ISIS’s violent beliefs. The Justice Department’s press release outlines that during this time, Bridges openly expressed his support for ISIS on social media, a worrying sign of his burgeoning radicalization.

In October 2020, approximately a year after enlisting in the Army, Bridges began communicating with an FBI undercover agent who was posing as an ISIS supporter. Believing that he was engaging with someone connected to ISIS fighters in the Middle East, Bridges expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and made clear his desire to support ISIS.

Bridges’ communications with the undercover FBI agent went beyond mere words of frustration. He began offering practical advice and military expertise to help ISIS fighters carry out attacks. According to the Department of Justice, Bridges provided the undercover agent with portions of a U.S. Army training manual, detailing military combat tactics and strategies that could be used by ISIS. He also provided specific advice on potential targets in New York City, showing that his intentions were to help ISIS expand its terror operations domestically.

In 2020, Bridges escalated his involvement by offering guidance on how ISIS fighters could attack U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East. He shared diagrams and descriptions of military maneuvers, suggesting ways to increase the lethality of attacks on American troops. This included strategic advice on how to fortify ISIS encampments and set up ambushes against U.S. Special Forces. One of his chilling recommendations was to wire certain buildings with explosives to maximize casualties.

Bridges didn’t stop at tactical advice. In January 2021, he took his commitment to ISIS a step further, creating a video of himself dressed in U.S. Army body armor while standing in front of an ISIS flag. In this video, he openly gestured his support for the terrorist group. Adding to his propaganda efforts, Bridges also narrated a video speech encouraging an ambush on U.S. troops, further demonstrating his loyalty to ISIS and his willingness to help the group in any way possible.

Unbeknownst to Bridges, the FBI had been monitoring his actions from the start of his communications with the undercover agent. The sting operation that led to his eventual arrest was part of a broader effort by U.S. law enforcement to prevent homegrown terrorists from assisting foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS. When Bridges was finally taken into custody, investigators had already gathered a significant amount of evidence against him, including the videos, tactical diagrams, and military advice he had provided to the undercover agent.

Bridges had been facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but his 14-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the charges against him. While Bridges avoided the maximum penalty, he will spend over a decade behind bars, followed by another ten years of strict supervision after his release.

Bridges’ case highlights the ongoing threat of homegrown terrorism in the U.S., especially from individuals who become radicalized through online propaganda. ISIS and other extremist organizations have long used social media and online platforms to spread their ideology and recruit sympathizers. Bridges is one of several U.S. citizens in recent years who have been arrested and charged with attempting to provide support to terrorist groups like ISIS.

The Department of Justice emphasized that the U.S. government remains vigilant in its efforts to combat domestic terrorism. In this case, the use of undercover operations, coupled with thorough online surveillance, played a crucial role in preventing Bridges from assisting ISIS in carrying out deadly attacks on U.S. soldiers. FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly stressed the importance of these operations in intercepting potential threats before they materialize into violence.

Bridges’ case has also raised questions within the military about how to identify and prevent radicalization among its ranks. Although rare, instances of service members being radicalized pose a serious national security threat, as they often have access to sensitive information and advanced training. The U.S. military has protocols in place to identify potential threats, but Bridges managed to slip through the cracks until the FBI intervened.

Cole Bridges’ sentencing is a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by domestic radicalization and the continued threat of ISIS-inspired attacks. His case underscores the importance of vigilance and the role of law enforcement in preventing these threats from turning into reality. While Bridges will serve 14 years in prison for his actions, the impact of his case will continue to resonate as the U.S. works to combat terrorism both abroad and at home.


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