Military

US Soldier Pleads Guilty to Helping IS Kill US Troops

Published JUN 15 2023

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

On Wednesday, a US army soldier pleaded guilty to terrorism charges after investigators found he tried to help the Islamic State (IS) group militants ambush and kill US troops in the Middle East.
BBC News
Cole Bridges (also known as Cole Gonzales) reportedly pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder US military service members overseas.
The Justice Department
According to court records, Bridges joined the US Army in 2019 and, within months, started giving details to an undercover FBI agent on how to ambush US soldiers in the Middle East and blow-up New York City's 9/11 Memorial.
UPI
Bridges allegedly provided specific instructions to terrorists, including sharing "diagrammed specific military maneuvers intended to help ISIS [sic] fighters maximize the lethality of attacks on US troops."
The Hill
Before his arrest in the US state of Georgia in 2021, Bridges — an Ohio native — reportedly researched online propaganda promoting jihadists and expressed his frustration with the US military and his desire to aid IS on social media.
Daily Mail
Scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2, Bridges could face up to 40 years in prison.
The National News

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Any soldier who orchestrates a murderous ambush on fellow US Army personnel is a traitor and must be punished for betraying his comrades and his country. This terrorist must be handed the harshest sentence possible to deter others who would commit treason by supporting IS and its violent ideology.

Rolling Stone

Narrative B

While it's unfortunate the US Army had a potential terrorist among its troops, it's questionable how a young cavalry scout — with questionable morale — could deceive security and access portions of a US Army training manual and a military combat training video without being caught.