Additional Coverage:
Army Soldier Sentenced for Aiding ISIS
A U.S. Army soldier, Cole Bridges, has received a 14-year prison sentence for attempting to assist ISIS in an attack on American troops.
Bridges, 24, from Ohio, joined the Army in 2019. However, prior to his enlistment, he had been following jihadist propaganda online. In 2020, he began communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS supporter.
Through these communications, Bridges expressed his support for ISIS and provided them with training and guidance. He shared U.S. Army training manuals and combat tactics with the agent, with the intention that ISIS would use them to plan attacks.
Bridges also provided detailed instructions on how to ambush U.S. forces in the Middle East. He recommended specific maneuvers and even advised on fortifying an ISIS encampment with explosives.
In addition, Bridges sent videos of himself in military gear expressing support for ISIS. He also sent a recording of a propaganda speech he made using a voice manipulator.
Bridges’ actions were investigated by the FBI, U.S. Army Counterintelligence, and other agencies. His sentence includes 14 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.