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DOE employee charged with trying to aid Iran-backed Houthis, feds say

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Cite

Bussey, E. (2026, October 2). DOE employee charged with trying to aid Iran-backed Houthis, feds say. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/world/doe-employee-charged-trying-aid-iran-backed-houthis-feds-say

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Fox News · collected 2026-10-02 · by Emma Bussey

Quick Summary

Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, a 51-year-old U.S. Department of Energy worker from Richland, Washington, was arrested and charged with attempting to provide support to the Iran-backed Houthis, including improving their communications infrastructure and acquiring materials for explosives and drones. The FBI’s investigation revealed that Ellaboudy used his electrical engineering expertise to test solar generators and modify power systems for the terrorist group during a trip from Oman into Yemen in 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, with an initial court appearance scheduled for October 2.
Written by AI on 2026-10-02, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, a 51-year-old Department of Energy employee from Richland, Washington, was arrested by the FBI on charges of attempting to provide support to the Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen. The DOJ alleges that Ellaboudy bought materials for homemade explosives and drones and attempted to improve the Houthis' communications capabilities. In September 2025, he traveled from Richland through Oman into Yemen, claiming on his return to U.S. Customs and Border Protection that his trip was part of a government mission, which his supervisor denied knowledge of.

The FBI's investigation revealed Ellaboudy used an official passport from his time in the Army Corps of Engineers for the unauthorized travel and made plans through contacts claiming to be Houthi officials to smuggle communications equipment into Yemen. Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg described these actions as "deeply disturbing." The case highlights the potential risks posed by government employees engaging in activities that support designated foreign terrorist organizations.

Written for “DOE Employee Charged For Houthis Support” on 2026-11-05, grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 DOE Employee Charged For Houthis Support
Crime & Law · 6 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 28% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Energy Department employee charged with attempting to support Houthis Same event
Washington Examiner
Hedges 2 of 17 claims Outlet record 69/100
DOE employee arrested by FBI for allegedly trying to support Houthis in Yemen Same event
CBS News
Hedges 0 of 15 claims Outlet record 65/100
FBI arrests Energy Department employee on charge of trying to support Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen Same event
The Hindu
Hedges 0 of 13 claims Outlet record 60/100
FBI arrests Energy Department employee on charge of trying to support Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen Same event
Toronto Star
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 64/100
FBI arrests Energy Department employee on charge of trying to support Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen Same event
New York Post
Hedges 0 of 13 claims Outlet record 66/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
18
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
28%
5 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
68/100
Fox News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
6
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-02 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Fox News · 6649 article(s) · 13 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 13 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Emma Bussey
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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 33 articles by Emma Bussey →

Topics

FBI Houthis Richland U.S. Washington

Subjects

Ellaboudy PERSON · 10× FBI ORG · 5× Houthis NORP · 4× U.S. GPE · 3× DOJ ORG · 2× Iran GPE · 2× Richland GPE · 2× Washington GPE · 2× U.S. Department of Energy ORG · 1× the Department of Justice ORG · 1×

Narrative

"As alleged, a U.S. government employee traveled overseas and used his specialized expertise in an attempt to aid the Houthis, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization backed by Iran," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement.
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-02
2026-10-02 · Fox News
DOE employee charged with trying to aid Iran-backed Houthis, feds say · mixed framing

Claims (18 extracted, 5 hedged)

A U.S. Department of Energy worker from Richland, Washington, was arrested Thursday and charged with attempting to provide "material support" to the Iran-backed Houthis, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). uncertain
worker → arrest → Justice
Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, is accused of attempting to use his electrical engineering knowledge and background to support the terrorist group in improving its mobile communications infrastructure, secure components for drones as well as chemicals for homemade explosives. asserted
Ellaboudy → accuse → explosives
"As alleged, a U.S. government employee traveled overseas and used his specialized expertise in an attempt to aid the Houthis, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization backed by Iran," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement. asserted
Eisenberg → allege → statement
"Additionally, Ellaboudy acquired materials for the construction of explosive material and drones capable of delivering these explosives. asserted
Ellaboudy → acquire → explosives
These allegations are so deeply disturbing that they almost defy imagination." asserted
they → defy → imagination
Federal authorities took Ellaboudy into custody following an investigation by the FBI’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force. asserted
authorities → take → Force
According to court records, Ellaboudy first attracted the FBI’s attention after buying precursor chemicals, or starting ingredients, and components that are often used in homemade explosives, as well as parts to make drones. uncertain
that → accord → drones
The DOJ said that in 2024, Ellaboudy took sick leave from his Department of Energy job and said he had been exposed to highly concentrated nitric acid — a key chemical compound used in explosive manufacturing. asserted
he → say → manufacturing
In 2025, prosecutors allege Ellaboudy used an official passport from his previous role with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to travel from Washington state to Oman. asserted
Ellaboudy → allege → Oman
He then crossed into Yemen. asserted
He → cross → Yemen
After returning to the U.S., Ellaboudy told border officers his trip was authorized government business. asserted
trip → return → officers
Investigators also said Ellaboudy advised an undercover FBI confidential human source posing as a representative of a Houthi colonel. asserted
Ellaboudy → say → colonel
For the Houthis, Ellaboudy allegedly tested solar generators, modified power systems, created circuit schematics and provided support to the group’s communications, the statement said. uncertain
statement → test → communications
"This individual allegedly betrayed the U.S. and attempted to aid the Houthis, a designated foreign terrorist organization, but thanks to the work of the men and women of the FBI, his actions were detected and he is now in custody," said Assistant Director Jarod Brown of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. uncertain
Brown → betray → Division
Officials also confirmed Ellaboudy's alleged activities did not target local nuclear facilities. asserted
activities → confirm → facilities
"This matter did not involve an attempt to harm the Hanford Site or its workforce, and at no time was there a threat to the safety or security of the site," said Ray Geimer, office manager of the Department of Energy Hanford Field Office. asserted
Geimer → involve → Office
Ellaboudy faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. asserted
Ellaboudy → face → prison
He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance before a federal magistrate judge at 11 a.m. Oct. 2 in Richland, according to the Justice Department. uncertain
He → schedule → Department
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