A federal employee from the U.S. Department of Energy, Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to provide support to the Houthi movement in Yemen, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. The Justice Department charged the 51-year-old from Richland, Washington, with attempting to assist this Tehran-backed group, which has historically targeted U.S. interests.
Ellaboudy worked at the Hanford nuclear site and was arrested after an FBI operation where agents surrounded his home. Investigations revealed he had purchased materials for explosives and drones to facilitate Houthi military endeavors. He reportedly traveled to Yemen under the pretext of working for the Houthis and communicated with an FBI source posing as a Houthi colonel. If convicted, Ellaboudy faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
