A US Army soldier, who had sworn to protect his country, turning against it by attempting to aid ISIS in their mission to ambush American troops. Shocking, right? Well, it's not the first time we've heard of such incidents, and unfortunately it won't be the last.
On Wednesday, an Ohio man pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder U.S. military service members based on his efforts to help the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East.
Cole Bridges, aka Cole Gonzales, 22, of Stow, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.
Bridges was charged in the Complaint with (1) attempting to provide material support to ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (2) attempting to murder U.S. military service members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in approximately September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Beginning in at least 2019, Bridges began researching and consuming online propaganda promoting jihadists and their violent ideology. Bridges also expressed his support for ISIS and jihad on social media. In or about October 2020, Bridges began communicating with an FBI online covert employee (the OCE), who was posing as an ISIS supporter in contact with ISIS fighters in the Middle East.
Bridges also expressed his support for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”) and jihad on social media. In or about October 2020, Bridges began communicating with an FBI online covert employee (the “OCE”), who was posing as an ISIS supporter in contact with ISIS fighters in the Middle East.
During these communications, Bridges expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and his desire to aid ISIS. Bridges then provided training and guidance to purported ISIS fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about potential targets in New York City, such as the 9/11 Memorial. Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics for ISIS.
Bridges described how an assault on the memorial at Ground Zero “could honestly be a sniper kill and then getting out quietly for a second attack,’’ according to Manhattan federal-court papers.
Court documents also contained a posting on the same account that month featuring a quote by a jihadist leader whose followers included one of the plane’s hijackers that crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
“Everyone has to see which side he is on,” the quote reads in part.
While becoming radicalized online, Bridges researched such terms as “badass jihadi,’’ “green beret ambush’’ and “us soldier shooting’’ in late 2019 and through 2020, the papers said.
At one point, he allegedly admitted to the undercover, “I hate displaying the US flag on my shoulder,’’ apparently referring to his military uniform.
Bridges also provided training and guidance to purported ISIS fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about potential targets in New York City. Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics, for use by ISIS.
In or about December 2020, Bridges began to supply the OCE with instructions for the purported ISIS fighters on how to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East. Among other things, Bridges diagrammed specific military maneuvers intended to help ISIS fighters maximize the lethality of attacks on U.S. troops. Bridges further provided advice about the best way to fortify an ISIS encampment to repel an attack by U.S. Special Forces, including by wiring certain buildings with explosives to kill the U.S. troops.
Then, in January 2021, Bridges provided the OCE with a video of himself in his U.S. Army body armor standing in front of a flag often used by ISIS fighters and making a gesture symbolic of support for ISIS. Approximately a week later, Bridges sent a second video in which Bridges, using a voice manipulator, narrated a propaganda speech in support of the anticipated ambush by ISIS on U.S. troops.
Attempting to provide material support to ISIS carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and attempting to murder U.S. military service members carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Bridges is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2.
This incident has raised concerns about the safety of our soldiers and the security measures in place to prevent such incidents from occurring. It is feared that similar attacks could be carried out in the future, putting our troops at risk.
While the exact motivations behind the soldier's actions are still unclear, there court records show that he was radicalized by extremist ideologies and had a strong desire to join ISIS. The US Army and government have since taken measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future, including increasing surveillance and implementing more effective counter-terrorism and radicalization programs.
This case highlights the need for improved prevention measures in the US Army and the military organizations as a whole. It also emphasizes the importance of effective counter-terrorism and radicalization programs aimed at preventing soldiers from being radicalized. The case also raises questions about recruitment policies for the military and the need for stricter background checks.