DOE employee charged over alleged support for Iran-backed Houthis
DOE employee charged with aiding the Houthi group and boosting drone systems Federal investigators say he bought explosive materials and traveled to Yemen
A U.S. Department of Energy employee from Richland, Washington, was arrested Thursday and charged with trying to provide material support to the Iranbacked Houthi group, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors allege that Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, used his engineering background to help improve communications systems, drone components and explosive materials for the group. Federal investigators said he was first flagged after buying chemicals and parts commonly used in homemade explosives and drone construction.
The DOJ said Ellaboudy later traveled from Washington to Oman and then into Yemen using an official passport from a prior federal job. Authorities also said he had contact with an undercover FBI source posing as a Houthi representative. Officials said the case did not involve any threat to the Hanford nuclear site. If convicted, Ellaboudy could face up to 20 years in prison.