Former US Army Soldier Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Plotting to Attack US Military Base in Turkey

Ethan Melzer, 24, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Friday for his role in a plot to attack a US military base in Turkey and kill his fellow service members. Melzer, a former US Army soldier, had pleaded guilty in June to attempted murder of US nationals, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiring and attempting to murder US nationals.

According to the Justice Department, Melzer was part of a neo-Nazi, pro-jihadist group known as the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A). He provided sensitive details about his unit, including locations, security and troop movements, to the extremist group in connection with its plot to attack the base.

Prosecutors allege that Melzer intended to spark a jihadist terror attack on his own unit or any other that took up its location in order to undermine the United States abroad and further the goals of O9A. His motivation for the attack was to cause a mass casualty event, bringing on another war in the Middle East and “ultimately a race war to advance his mission of white supremacy” and the downfall of Western civilization.

The 45-year sentence is the maximum penalty for Melzer’s crimes. US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said Melzer’s plot was “monstrously wrong” and “a betrayal of his country and his unit.” Melzer’s attorney, however, argued that his client was a “naive and impressionable young man” who had been manipulated by the O9A.

The case serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by extremist groups and the need for vigilance in protecting US troops from those who would do them harm.