A U.S. soldier, Cole Bridges, has been condemned to a lengthy prison term for his attempts to aid ISIS.
According to The Hill, Cole Bridges was sentenced to 14 years for planning attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East.
In 2019, shortly after joining the U.S. Army, Bridges, also known by the pseudonym Cole Gonzales, fell under the sway of jihadist propaganda.
His radicalization deepened over time, largely consuming digital content that influenced his subsequent actions against the Army he served.
Operating under the false belief he was aiding ISIS, Bridges began communicating in the fall of 2020 with an FBI agent who was posing as an ISIS sympathizer. Their exchanges included sensitive information intended to help ISIS plan attacks on American soldiers.
In December of the same year, Bridges shared parts of the U.S. Army training manual as well as guidance on military combat strategies with the undercover agent. This act demonstrated a direct intention to undermine U.S. military operations.
The FBI, along with multiple federal and army authorities, meticulously investigated Bridges's activities. His communications with the undercover agent, captured over several months, provided unequivocal evidence of his intentions.
Bridges sent a video in January 2021 where he expressed allegiance to ISIS, followed by another where he narrated a propaganda speech advocating for violent acts against U.S. troops. These videos were integral in demonstrating his commitment to the terrorist cause.
The Department of Justice provided a statement outlining the gravity of Bridges's breaches: "Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics, with the understanding that the materials would be used by ISIS in future attack planning."
Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of the Army Counterintelligence Command, emphasized the importance of collaborative law enforcement efforts in this case:
Bridges's actions constituted grave betrayals of his duties as a U.S. soldier. His guilty plea in 2023 culminated in a 14-year sentence, which will be followed by 10 years of supervised release, illustrating the severity with which such betrayals are handled.
This sentencing sends a potent message regarding the consequences of terrorism-related charges and the unwavering vigilance of U.S. counterintelligence and law enforcement bodies against such internal threats.
In conclusion, the arrest and subsequent sentencing of Cole Bridges underscore the complexities of managing radicalization within the military. His transformation from a soldier to a facilitator of terrorism highlights critical issues surrounding security and counter-radicalization efforts.
The dedication of the U.S. Army and federal law enforcement agencies ensured that his plans did not materialize, safeguarding the lives of countless soldiers and civilians.
