Two Latvian men have been arrested for breaching the perimeter fence at an RAF base used by US military intelligence, the Met Police have said. The men, aged 36 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK after being found inside RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire at 2am on Thursday.
Security patrols spot abandoned vehicle
Ministry of Defence security patrols had identified an abandoned vehicle near the perimeter of the base at approximately 10pm on Wednesday. Further searches were carried out around the site and a small breach of the perimeter fence was identified. The men - who are UK-based Latvian nationals - were located and arrested.
They were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage and taken to a Cambridgeshire police station, the force said. The pair have since been further arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 4 of the National Security Act 2023, namely entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Intelligence hub at the base
The base is home to the US's intelligence operations centres for Europe and Africa, as well as a Nato intelligence hub, according to the Central Intelligence Agency's website. Both men remain in police custody.
It comes days after six men were bailed after being arrested on suspicion of terror offences over a suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on September 27. Counter terror police launched an investigation after three vans were discovered near the base.
RAF Fairford investigation continues
Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, who were arrested near the base have since been released on bail. A sixth man, a dual UK-Iranian national aged 25, was arrested last week. He has also been released on bail. All US military bombers have been 'urgently' evacuated from the base over fears of an Iranian drone attack.
In the wake of the incident, Downing Street has maintained that RAF Fairford remains secure. Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Vicki Evans, said: “This remains a live investigation and our specialist teams continue to pursue multiple lines of enquiry into the circumstances surrounding events near RAF Fairford.
“Once again, I’d like to thank the public for their continued support and patience whilst we work through this highly complex investigation. We’re acutely aware of the public interest in this investigation, and we are working around the clock, and at pace, to identify the motivation behind events in Gloucestershire. We remain committed to investigating all possible angles.”
