Soldier To Spend 14 Years Behind Bars After Trying To Help ISIS

Cole Bridges, an Army soldier, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for trying to support ISIS, leaving many questioning how one of their own could plan such betrayal.

At a Glance

Cole Bridges was sentenced to 168 months in prison for attempting to support ISIS and kill U.S. service members.
Bridges pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in June 2023.
He was initially inspired by jihadist ideology even before joining the military.
Efforts to arrest involved the FBI and extensive cooperation among various authorities.

Counseling the Enemy

Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, was handed a 14-year sentence alongside 10 years of supervised release for his attempts to support ISIS and murder U.S. forces. Signing with the U.S. Army in 2019, he began expressing jihadist sympathies online prior to his service. Such activities raised concerns among authorities who later identified him. By 2020, Bridges made contact with an FBI covert employee, posing as an ISIS affiliate, which eventually led to the uncovering of his sinister intentions.

Bridges was not only communicating but also providing vital information, including military tactics and attack plans. His contributions allegedly included training and strategizing attacks against his own nation’s service members. Furthermore, he gave detailed instructions on assaulting U.S. establishments and securing ISIS camps with explosives, further indicating his deep-seated allegiance to the terrorist organization.

A U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to help the Islamic State conduct a deadly ambush of U.S. troops, the Department of Justice said on Friday. Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, 24, will undergo supervised release for 10 years following…

— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) October 11, 2024

Plot Unraveled

By January 2021, Bridges escalated his activities, sending videos of himself with propaganda speeches supporting ISIS’s mission. His actions were part of a broader terrorist directive to instill fear and weaken U.S. military resolve through planned ambushes and assaults. Fortunately, thorough investigations by multiple agencies, including the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, brought Bridges’ ominous plans to light. The investigation demonstrated the impeccable coordination between federal, state, and local agencies aimed at safeguarding the nation and its people.

Prosecutors, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Matthew Hellman, diligently presented the intricate web of deceit and strategic planning into which Bridges had plunged. His betrayal of military trust while actively serving was labeled as a core crime by the authorities, leaving deep scars of treachery within the ranks.

Justice Served

The legal proceedings culminated in a categorical verdict underscoring the military’s zero-tolerance stance toward internal threats. The verdict came from careful deliberations and the introduction of substantial evidence pinpointing Bridges’ deliberate actions against his own comrades. The sentencing reflects profound disappointment and the criticality of maintaining vigilance within ranks.

“Today’s sentence makes clear that this Office—along with our partners in law enforcement and the U.S. military—will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who, like Bridges, seek to harm members of our Armed Forces,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

The severe punishment meted out to Bridges serves as a deterrent to such traitorous activities. Moreover, it is a testament to the diligence with which national security agencies operate, ensuring the sovereignty of the country remains untouched. The collaborative efforts of various entities were pivotal in delivering justice and restoring faith in national defense protocols.