Private First Class Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, had joined the US army in September 2019 and was assigned to a cavalry in Georgia, according to a statement from the US Justice Department. After having expressed interest in jihadism and support for ISIS on social media, in October 2020 Bridges was approached online by a covert Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employee pretending to be an ISIS supporter with connections to the militant group.
Between October 2020 and January 2021, Bridges would provide training and tactical guidance to purported ISIS fighters through the communications with the FBI agent, including advising the supposed militants on how to ambush US troops in New York City as well as fortifying against US army attacks in the Middle East.
“Bridges’ traitorous conduct was a betrayal of his comrades and his country,” the statement quoted Damian Williams, New York’s southern district US attorney, as saying.
The suspect is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2, and could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison on charges of providing material support to ISIS and attempting to kill US troops.
A US court in October sentenced a Canadian citizen to 20 years in prison for encouraging and financially aiding the travel of six North American nationals, including an 18-year-old cousin, to Syria, for the purpose of joining ISIS.
ISIS seized control of vast swathes of Iraqi and Syrian land in 2014 but was declared territorially defeated in 2017 and 2019. While the group lacks any territorial presence on the ground, it still continues to pose serious security risks through bombings, hit-and-run attacks, and abductions in both countries.
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