😱 Homegrown Terrorist in Camo? US Soldier Admits to Sinister ISIS Plot Against 9/11 Memorial 🎯
TL;DR: Army Private First Class Cole Bridges confessed in court about his involvement in a terrifying plot to support ISIS. The target? The 9/11 memorial in NYC and his fellow service members abroad. 😵 The plot twist – the ISIS members he thought he was communicating with were undercover FBI agents. 🕵️
Once upon a time in the land of stars and stripes, an army private first class named Cole Bridges decided to engage in a little side gig. And by “side gig,” we mean communicating with who he thought were members of ISIS. 😮 Now that’s not your usual knitting or book club!
Bridges thought he found his new BFFs in October 2019. The Ground Zero memorial in NYC, according to him, was a “prime target” for a “sniper kill.” This plot was more twisted than a Hollywood movie, folks! 🎥
A 22-year-old scout hailing from Ohio, Bridges had recently joined the army, dreaming of serving his country. However, he ended up serving up parts of an Army training manual and a combat training video to the supposed ISIS members. Is it just me, or does the phrase “plot twist” seem way too light for this? 🤯
The wannabe traitor—who went by the alias “Cole Gonzalez”— soon found himself bamboozled. Instead of actual ISIS members, he was dealing with a very crafty undercover FBI agent. Talk about a reality check! 🚔
Our soldier-turned-terrorist was part of the Third Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. He pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder US military service members. Looks like he’s in for a maximum of two decades behind bars. Will this be a new Netflix special, do you think? 🎬
Interestingly, Bridges didn’t just jump into this sinister plot. He began by flirting with radical ideology online, researching topics like “badass jihadi” and “US soldier shooting.” 💻 Who knew Google could lead to such a dark path?
But his sinister venture didn’t end with research. He also declared his support for ISIS on social media, and complained about wearing the US flag on his uniform. Now, that’s a fashion statement we weren’t expecting. 🚩
From detailed diagrams to instructional videos for “tactical maneuvers and strategy,” he seemed dedicated to his dubious cause. In fact, before his arrest, he bragged about how he was getting away with all of it. 🎭 That’s some misplaced bravado, don’t you think?
In a statement, Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams highlighted, “Cole Bridges attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his fellow soldiers in service of ISIS and its violent ideology.” 😡 Sounds like he’s got some serious explaining to do!
Bridges’ attorney, Sabrina Shroff, declined to comment on the matter. No surprise there, right? 🤐
So, folks, let’s put the satirical tone aside for a second and ask ourselves: what can we do as a society to prevent such radicalization, especially among those tasked with protecting us? And what do you think should be the punishment for such acts of treachery? Is twenty years enough, or should there be more severe repercussions for such actions? 💭
