NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. Army soldier arrested in Georgia on Tuesday on terrorism charges after talking online about plots to blow up New York’s 9/11 Memorial and other landmarks and attacking U.S. soldiers in the Middle East, authorities reported Tuesday.
Cole James Bridges of Stow, Ohio, was detained on charges of attempted material support of a terrorist organization – the Islamic State group – and attempted murder of a military member, said Nicholas Biase, a spokesman for prosecutors. federals of Manhattan.
The 20-year-old soldier, also known as Cole Gonzales, was with the Third Infantry Division in Fort Stewart, Georgia, when he thought he was communicating in line with the Islamic State about terrorist plots, Biase said.
Bridges knew this, an FBI employee was involved in the chat, as Bridges provided detailed instructions on tactics and manuals and tips for attacking the memorial and other targets in New York City, Biase said.
“As we allege today, Bridges, a U.S. Army officer, betrayed our country and its unity when he plotted with someone he believed was an ISIS supporter to help ISIS attack and kill American soldiers in the Middle East, “said William F. Sweeney Jr., head of the FBI office in New York City.
“Fortunately, the person he communicated with was an FBI employee and we were able to prevent his bad wishes from coming to fruition,” Sweeney said in a statement.
“Our troops risk their lives for our country, but they should never face that danger at the hands of one of their own,” said U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss.
Bridges was scheduled to make a first appearance in federal court in August, Georgia, on Thursday.
It was not immediately known who would represent him.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry explorer at Fort Stewart.
At some point, he began researching and consuming online propaganda to promote jihadists and their violent ideology, authorities said.
He said he expressed support for the Islamic State group and jihad on social media before beginning to communicate in October with an FBI employee posing as a supporter of the Islamic State group in contact. with the group’s fighters in the Middle East.
According to court reports, he expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and his desire to help the Islamic State group.
The criminal complaint said it provided training and guidance to alleged Islamic State fighters who were planning attacks, including advice on possible targets in New York City, including the 9/11 Memorial.
He said he also provided parts of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance on military combat tactics.
The bridges also represented specific military maneuvers to help fighters of the terrorist group kill American troops, including the best way to fortify a camp to repel an attack by U.S. special forces and how to connect certain buildings with explosives. to kill American troops.
This month, according to the complaint, Bridges sent a video of him wearing armor in front of an Islamic State flag, making gestures of support.
A week later, Bridges sent a second video in which he used a voice manipulator and narrated a propaganda speech in support of the early ambush of U.S. troops by the Islamic State group, according to the complaint.
Fort Stewart officials made no immediate comment Tuesday, said Kevin Larson, a spokesman for the Army site.
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By Press Associate writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.