US energy department engineer arrested for allegedly helping Iran-backed Houthis

A US department of energy electrical engineer has been arrested for allegedly providing material support to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. He allegedly bought materials for homemade explosives and drone parts and travelled to Yemen, the US justice department said Thursday.Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Washington, was arrested Thursday and is expected to appear in court for the first time on Friday. He faces charges under a US law that prohibits providing material support to organisations designated as foreign terrorist organisations. The Houthis are designated as such by the US.Alleged Yemen tripAccording to an FBI affidavit, Ellaboudy travelled to Yemen in September last year with the stated aim of helping the Houthis improve their communications capabilities. Investigators said he told FBI informants that he had to be smuggled into and out of Yemen.Ellaboudy allegedly hoped to reach Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital, to establish government-level contacts.