US Government Employee Arrested and Accused of Providing Material Support to Houthi Rebels

Federal agents have arrested a US government employee on charges of providing material support to Yemen's Houthi rebels, according to an announcement by the US Justice Department on Thursday.

Ashton Ellaboudy, a veteran and employee at the local branch of the Department of Energy in Washington state, was taken into custody and scheduled for a court appearance on Friday. Prosecutors allege that Mr Ellaboudy travelled overseas to utilize his specialized expertise in aiding the Houthis, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

Furthermore, the Justice Department stated that he is accused of acquiring materials intended for building explosives to be fitted onto attack drones, as well as helping the group enhance its communications capabilities.

John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, described the allegations as deeply disturbing and nearly unimaginable in an official statement. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy Hanford Field Office in Washington clarified that the alleged activities did not target the site or its personnel.

The investigation began after the FBI received information indicating that Mr Ellaboudy had purchased precursor chemicals and components typically used in homemade explosives. Court documents state that he took sick leave in December 2024, claiming exposure to a chemical utilized in explosive manufacturing.

According to the Justice Department, Mr Ellaboudy used an official passport from his prior employment with the US Army Corps of Engineers to travel from Richland, Washington to Oman in September 2025. He then crossed into Yemen toward Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Houthis.

Authorities revealed that he communicated with a high-ranking Houthi member who was actually an undercover FBI source, discussing plans to acquire and install communication equipment in Yemen. If convicted, Mr Ellaboudy faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.