US Soldier Sentenced to 14 Years for Plotting to Assist ISIS in Attacking Troops

 

On Friday, a U.S. soldier, Cole Bridges, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of attempting to assist the Islamic State (ISIS) in carrying out attacks on American soldiers. The sentencing follows Bridges' admission of guilt on 14 June 2023, facing terrorism-related charges.

Bridges, 24, had joined the U.S. Army about five years ago and was serving as a cavalry scout in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. However, even before enlisting, he had been engaging with extremist content and expressing support for ISIS and jihad on social media, according to Manhattan federal prosecutors.

In October 2020, Bridges began communicating online with an individual he believed to be an ISIS supporter. This person, however, was an undercover FBI agent. During these interactions, Bridges expressed his dissatisfaction with the U.S. military and his desire to assist ISIS in its operations. He provided guidance and training to what he thought were ISIS fighters, including offering advice on potential targets in New York City, according to a press release from prosecutors.

Bridges went so far as to share parts of a U.S. Army training manual and tactical combat information, believing that these materials would help ISIS in future attacks. In December 2020, he further instructed the undercover agent on how ISIS could target U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East and shared strategies to defend an ISIS stronghold from U.S. special forces. His advice included details on how to rig buildings with explosives to kill U.S. troops.

In early 2021, Bridges sent a video of himself dressed in military gear, standing in front of a flag commonly associated with ISIS, while making a gesture symbolic of his support for the group. A week later, he sent another video, this time using a voice manipulator, where he delivered a propaganda message encouraging an ISIS attack on U.S. servicemen.

Following his 14-year prison sentence, Bridges will face an additional 10 years of supervised release.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams condemned Bridges' actions, stating, "Cole Bridges used his U.S. Army training to pursue a horrifying goal: the brutal murder of his fellow service members in a carefully plotted ambush. This is a betrayal of the worst order."