Two Latvian men were arrested after entering through a breach in the fence of a British base used by the US and NATO

Two Latvian men, aged 36 and 32, were arrested inside RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire after a security patrol discovered an abandoned vehicle and a breach in the fence. The incident is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism unit, which is seeking to establish the reason for their presence at the site.

The two men, who live in the United Kingdom, were initially detained on suspicion of trespassing in a prohibited area and criminal damage. The charges were later brought under the National Security Act 2023, as they are suspected of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the United Kingdom.

British authorities carried out searches at two addresses in the Peterborough area. The investigation commander said that, at this stage, there is no indication that the incident is connected to recent events at RAF Fairford.

RAF Molesworth hosts US intelligence operations centres for Europe and Africa, as well as a NATO intelligence centre. The base is not used for air operations. The UK Ministry of Defence said the security of military sites is constantly assessed.