FBI Arrests Energy Department Worker Over Alleged Iran-Backed Houthi Aid
Washington — A U.S. Department of Energy electrical engineer has been arrested on allegations that he supported the Iran-backed Houthi movement by purchasing materials for improvised explosives and drones and traveling to Yemen, the Justice Department said Thursday.
Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Washington, was taken into custody Thursday. He is scheduled to appear in federal court for the first time Friday. Court records did not identify an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
According to the FBI, Ellaboudy wanted to help the Houthis strengthen their communications systems. Investigators say he traveled to Yemen last September, as the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces became involved in renewed violence that has killed hundreds and forced tens of thousands from their homes. The conflict dates to 2014, when the Iran-supported rebels seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, prompting the government to operate from exile in Saudi Arabia.
The Justice Department said Ellaboudy used a passport issued during his employment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to travel to Oman, which borders Yemen.
After returning to the United States, authorities allege that Ellaboudy told Customs and Border Protection officers he had come back from Oman after a work trip connected to a U.S. government mission inspecting missile defense systems. However, his supervisor told investigators he knew nothing about Ellaboudy’s international travel or any Energy Department program involving missile inspections, according to an FBI affidavit.
The affidavit also says Ellaboudy was recorded speaking with FBI informants placed in the investigation. He allegedly said he had been smuggled into and out of Yemen and hoped to reach Sanaa to establish contacts with government officials. The FBI said he never made it to the capital.
The investigation began after the FBI learned that Ellaboudy had bought precursor chemicals often associated with homemade explosive devices, including acetone and sodium bisulfate. Authorities also say he acquired components used in drones.
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During the probe, investigators say Ellaboudy communicated with several informants, including one posing as a Houthi colonel. He allegedly offered guidance and assistance involving communications equipment.
Ellaboudy faces a charge under the federal law prohibiting material support for organizations designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations. The Houthis are included on that list.
“These allegations are so deeply disturbing that they almost defy imagination,” John Eisenberg, who leads the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said in a statement.
If convicted, Ellaboudy could receive a prison sentence of up to 20 years, the Justice Department said.
