Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, a U.S. soldier from Stow, Ohio, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to assist ISIS in planning an ambush on U.S. troops in the Middle East, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Oct. 11.
Bridges, 24, pleaded guilty to terrorism charges and will serve the prison sentence followed by 10 years of supervised release. He joined the U.S. Army in 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in the third infantry division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Prior to joining the army, Bridges had researched and consumed online propaganda promoting jihadists, expressing support for ISIS, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and jihad on social media. In October 2020, he began communicating online with an FBI covert employee, providing training and guidance to purported ISIS fighters, including parts of the U.S. Army training manual.
According to the DOJ, Bridges shared instructions on how to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East, providing a diagram of military maneuvers to help ISIS fighters plan future attacks on U.S. troops. He also advised on fortifying an ISIS encampment for an ambush of U.S. Special Forces, including how to wire buildings with explosives.
In January 2021, Bridges sent videos of himself wearing U.S. Army body armor, standing in front of an ISIS flag, and making gestures of support for the terrorist organization. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams condemned Bridges’ actions, stating that he used his military training to plan a betrayal of his fellow service members.
The DOJ also announced the arrest of an Afghan national, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, in Oklahoma for allegedly conspiring to commit a violent attack on election day on behalf of ISIS. Tawhedi had liquidated his family’s assets and acquired AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition for the planned attack in the United States.
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