US Army soldier sentenced to 14 years for attempting to aid ISIS

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Cole Bridges, a U.S. Army soldier, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to assist ISIS in attacking American forces in the Middle East. The 24-year-old was also charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Officials stated that Bridges initially pleaded guilty to terrorism charges on June 14, 2023, but his sentence was issued this week. He had joined the U.S. Army in September 2019.

The Department of Justice revealed that prior to joining the Army, at least since 2019, Bridges had been promoting jihadist ideology and supporting ISIS on social media, expressing his endorsement of their violent ideology.

In October 2020, Bridges made contact with an undercover FBI agent online, who posed as an ISIS supporter with connections to fighters in the Middle East.

During these communications, Bridges expressed frustration with the U.S. Army and his desire to assist ISIS.

He then provided training and guidance to the “supposed” ISIS fighters planning attacks, including advice on potential targets in New York City.

Bridges also shared sections of the U.S. Army training manual and military combat tactics with the purported fighters, believing that ISIS would use this information in future attacks.

In December 2020, Bridges began instructing the undercover FBI agent on attacking U.S. forces in the Middle East.

According to the Department of Justice, Bridges also advised on how to fortify ISIS camps and use explosives to ambush U.S. Special Forces.

This case, investigated by multiple agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Army’s counterintelligence division, resulted in Bridges receiving a 14-year prison sentence and 10 years of supervised release.

The sentencing reflects the serious consequences of attempting to aid terrorist organizations and highlights the commitment of U.S. authorities to combat such threats.

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