American Soldier Sentenced for Supporting ISIS
In a significant ruling, a U.S. court has sentenced 24-year-old Cole Bridges to 14 years in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State (ISIS) in planning attacks against American soldiers. Bridges, who was a private first class at the time of his arrest in 2021, pleaded guilty to charges of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to kill U.S. service members.
Bridges, originally from Ohio, joined the U.S. Army in 2019 but became influenced by jihadist propaganda online. Court documents reveal that in October 2020, he began communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS supporter. Throughout their conversations, Bridges expressed his disillusionment with the U.S. military and his eagerness to assist ISIS in executing deadly ambushes.
The Justice Department detailed that Bridges provided tactical training and guidance to alleged ISIS fighters, including advice on potential attack targets in New York City. His communications included sketches of attack maneuvers aimed at maximizing the impact of assaults on U.S. forces in the Middle East. Moreover, he sent videos of himself in body armor, delivering propaganda speeches in support of ISIS operations. This case highlights the ongoing threats posed by extremist ideologies and the critical need for vigilance against domestic radicalization.