A US army soldier admitted to trying to assist the Islamic State (IS) organization in attacking and killing US service members in the Middle East.
In addition, the justice department reported that he admitted to trying to support a foreign terrorist organization financially.
Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, allegedly gave information to a federal agent working undercover, according to the department.
He risked a 40-year prison sentence.
When Mr. Bridges enlisted in the US Army in September of 2019, he was stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
A US Attorney's Office statement claims that he soon started "researching and consuming online propaganda promoting jihadists and their violent ideology.".
But in October 2020, Mr. Bridges started communicating with a FBI agent posing as an IS supporter who was in touch with members in the Middle East.
To the undercover FBI agent, Mr. Bridges expressed his displeasure with the US military and his desire to support IS, also known as ISIS.
According to the statement, he started giving "training and direction to alleged ISIS fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about possible targets in New York City.". .
A portion of a US Army training manual and instructions on military combat tactics are also reported to have been sent to the undercover agent.
By December 2020, Mr. Bridges had begun instructing IS fighters on how to attack US military personnel in the Middle East. He had even shared a diagram of specific military maneuvers designed to maximize the number of US soldiers killed.
He offered a video of himself supporting the group while posing in front of an IS flag while wearing US Army body armor.
A week later, he sent another video, this time with a voice-over actor narrating a speech in support of the impending IS ambush of US troops.
Cole Bridges attempted to plan a murderous ambush on his fellow soldiers in support of ISIS and its violent ideology, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, said in a statement. "Bridges' treacherous actions were a betrayal of his allies and his nation. ".
On November 2, he'll receive a sentence.
