Former Army scout Cole Bridges has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for attempting to assist ISIS in ambushing US troops overseas. Bridges, 24, was convicted of using his military training to provide ISIS with plans to increase the lethality of their attacks against American soldiers stationed in the Middle East.
Bridges’ radicalization began in 2019 after consuming jihadist propaganda online. By 2020, he had communicated with an undercover FBI agent whom he believed to be an ISIS operative. Bridges provided detailed diagrams and tactical advice on how ISIS fighters could set up ambushes to kill US troops. He even sent a video of himself in military gear, standing in front of an ISIS flag, signaling his support for the terrorist organization.
In June 2023, Bridges pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to murder US military personnel. During his sentencing, Bridges expressed remorse, requesting the maximum 40-year sentence. He told the court, “I know what I did was wrong and I will carry this regret for as long as I live.”
US Attorney Damian Williams called the case a shocking betrayal of trust, stating, “Bridges used his US Army training to plan the brutal murder of his fellow soldiers.”
In addition to his 14-year sentence, Bridges will also serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison term. The case highlights the dangers of radicalization within the military and the importance of preventing such individuals from acting on extremist ideologies.
The FBI’s undercover operation successfully thwarted any real harm, but Bridges’ actions serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing threats posed by both foreign and homegrown extremists.
