Former US Army Private, 22, found guilty of providing ‘material support’ to ISIS after undercover FBI sting

On Wednesday, former US Army Private Cole Bridges pled guilty to attempting to provide support to the Islamic State, including information that would aid the terrorist group in killing American soldiers in the Middle East and attacking targets in New York City.

The initial charges came after an undercover FBI agent, posing as a member of ISIS, contacted Bridges and corresponded with him for some time after.

Bridges, 22, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2. His crimes, "attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization" and "attempting to murder US military service members," each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.



In a statement, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams explained that Bridges "attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his fellow soldiers in service of ISIS and its violent ideology."

"Bridges’s traitorous conduct was a betrayal of his comrades and his country," Williams stated. "Thanks to the incredible work of the prosecutors of this Office and our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Army, Bridges's malign intent was revealed."

According to the complaint, Bridges joined the Army in 2019 and while stationed in Fort Stewart, Georgia, began researching and consuming ISIS propaganda online. Bridges eventually started posting about his support for the terrorist group on social media under the name "Cole Gonzalez." 

Before long, the Federal Bureau of Investigation got involved and assigned an agent to pose as an ISIS supporter and communicate with Bridges. During their conversations, Bridges repeatedly stated that he was frustrated with the US military, and provided training and guidance, including portions of an Army manual, to someone he thought was an ISIS fighter.

Bridges also explained in great detail what he believed to be "the best way to fortify an ISIS encampment to repel an attack by US Special Forces," including tactics that could "kill the US troops."

In 2021, he posed in full US Army body armor in front of the ISIS flag and sent a video to the undercover agent, followed shortly after by another clip in which he "narrated a propaganda speech in support of the anticipated ambush by ISIS on US troops." He was arrested shortly after.