US government employee detained on suspicion of supporting Houthis — The National
US authorities detained Department of Energy employee Ashton Ellaboudy, who is suspected of providing material support to Yemen’s Houthi group. As The National reports, he worked at a local Department of Energy office in Washington state. Ellaboudy is expected to appear in court on Friday.
The Justice Department’s account
The US Department of Justice stated that Ellaboudy allegedly traveled abroad and used specialized knowledge to help the Houthis. The United States has designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization.
According to the department, the man is also suspected of purchasing materials for making explosive devices that could be attached to strike drones. Investigators also claim that he may have helped the group improve its communications equipment.
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Trip to Yemen
According to the complaint, in December 2024, Ellaboudy took sick leave, telling his employer that he had been exposed to a chemical substance used to make explosive materials. The FBI became interested in him after receiving information that he had purchased chemical precursors, components, and other materials often used to make improvised explosive devices.
In September 2025, according to the Justice Department, Ellaboudy used an official passport issued to him while working for the US Army Corps of Engineers to travel from Richland, Washington, to Oman. After arriving, he allegedly used the same passport to cross the border into Yemen, intending to reach the Houthi-controlled capital, Sana’a.
Investigators state that Ellaboudy communicated with a person he believed to be a high-ranking Houthi representative, but who was in fact an FBI source. During their conversations, they allegedly discussed purchasing and equipping communications equipment for the group in Yemen. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. The US Department of Energy office at the Hanford Site said the employee’s alleged actions were not aimed at harming the site or its personnel.
