Two Latvian nationals were arrested on suspicion of trespass and potential national security offences after breaching the perimeter fence of RAF Molesworth, a Royal Air Force base in Cambridgeshire used by US military intelligence, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
Counter Terrorism Policing London (CTP) stated the men, aged 36 and 32, were detained inside the base’s perimeter following a security patrol that discovered an abandoned vehicle near the site on Wednesday at approximately 10pm. A subsequent search by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) and Cambridgeshire Constabulary identified a small breach in the base’s perimeter fence. The two men, who are UK residents, were initially held on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage before being further arrested under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 for entering a prohibited place with intent prejudicial to the UK.
Both individuals remain in custody as part of an ongoing investigation led by CTP, in collaboration with the MDP and Cambridgeshire Constabulary. Officers executed search warrants at two addresses in the Peterborough area as part of the probe. The abandoned vehicle was recovered and transported to a nearby location, where Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers conducted further examinations. A cordon was implemented on impacted roads in the Glatton area, including a section of the A1, as a precautionary measure.
RAF Molesworth serves as a key intelligence hub for the US military, hosting operations centres for Europe and Africa, as well as a NATO intelligence facility, according to the Central Intelligence Agency’s website. The base is also home to units from the US Air Force’s 423rd Air Base Group.
Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the suspects’ motives or any potential links to broader security threats. The investigation remains active, with further updates expected as inquiries progress.