American soldier pleads guilty to attempting to help IS

A soldier from the US army has pleaded guilty to attempting to help IS.

According to the US justice department, the soldier pleaded guilty to attempting to help the Igroup attack and murder US service members in the Middle East and to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Cole Bridges joined the army around September 2019 and was based in Fort Stewart, Georgia.

According to a US Attorney's Office statement, he began to research online propaganda promoting jihadists and their ideology. However, he soon began talking to an undercover FBI employee who was posing as an IS supporter.

Bridges started to share training and guidance to those he thought were IS fighters who were planning attacks. He gave them advice on possible targets in New York City.

He also shared instructions on how to attack US service members in the Middle East.

Bridges shared a video of himself US Army body armour standing in front of an IS flag.

Damian Williams, US Attorney of the Southern District of New York said: "As he admitted in court today, Cole 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."

Bridges will be sentenced on 2 November and faces up to 40 years in jail.

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