Cole Bridges, a former US Army soldier, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to assist ISIS in planning an ambush on American soldiers. The 24-year-old Ohio native provided tactical information to what he believed were ISIS operatives as part of a plot to carry out deadly attacks on US forces stationed in the Middle East.
Bridges pleaded guilty in June 2023 to charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to murder US military personnel. He expressed remorse during his sentencing, even requesting the maximum penalty. “I know what I did was wrong,” Bridges said. “I deserve the maximum sentence.”
US Attorney Damian Williams described the case as a betrayal of the highest order. “Bridges used his Army training to plan an ambush against his fellow soldiers,” Williams said. The FBI’s undercover operation prevented any real harm from occurring, but the seriousness of Bridges’ intentions was undeniable.
Bridges’ radicalization began in 2019, shortly after he enlisted in the Army. He became involved in jihadist circles online and, by 2020, was communicating with an undercover FBI agent who he thought was an ISIS supporter. He provided detailed military advice on how to increase the effectiveness of attacks on US troops, including diagrams and tactical maneuvers.
In addition to his prison sentence, Bridges will serve 10 years of supervised release. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by radicalized individuals within the military and the critical role of law enforcement in preventing terrorist plots from being carried out.
