A Department of Energy employee, Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, was arrested on federal charges for attempting to provide material support to the Houthis, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The 51-year-old from Richland, Washington, was charged after the FBI discovered he had purchased chemicals and equipment commonly used to make explosives, including parts for drones.
Ellaboudy, an electrical engineer, had taken sick leave from his job, citing exposure to nitric acid, a chemical linked to explosives. He traveled to Oman in September 2025 using an official passport and intended to reach the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, Sanaa. Upon returning to the U.S., he misled Customs officers by claiming government business.
He later communicated with an FBI informant posing as a Houthi, providing technical assistance based on his background, including schematics and guidance on solar power and communications systems.
If convicted, Ellaboudy could face up to 20 years in prison. The FBI’s investigation indicated that there was no threat to the safety or security of the Hanford Site, where he worked.
