U.S. Energy Department Employee Arrested by FBI for Aiding Houthis
A U.S. Department of Energy employee was arrested by the FBI on charges of aiding the Houthis. The suspect allegedly bought explosive materials and traveled to Yemen.
A U.S. Department of Energy employee was arrested by the FBI on suspicion of aiding the Houthis. The suspect, 51-year-old electrical engineer Ashton Hamed Alaboodi from Washington, is accused of purchasing bomb-making materials at home and traveling with them to Yemen, CBS News reported.
Travel and Investigation
According to the report, Alaboodi used a special passport issued during his time working for the U.S. military last September. Upon his return, he claimed to authorities that the purpose of the trip was to inspect defense systems on behalf of the state. When his superiors were summoned to testify by the FBI, they stated that no such mission existed.
Investigators noted that Alaboodi used a passport issued while he worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to travel to Oman, which borders Yemen. Upon returning to the United States, Alaboodi told Customs and Border Protection officials that he was returning from a work trip in Oman as part of a U.S. government mission to test missile defense systems.
Charges and Potential Penalties
Alaboodi is charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The allegations are so disturbing that they defy imagination, said John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice.
If convicted, Alaboodi faces up to 20 years in prison, the Department of Justice said.
