British counterterrorism police have arrested two Latvian nationals accused of breaking into a military installation housing major US and NATO intelligence operations, just days after British authorities alleged an Iranian-linked terror plot at another American airbase.
The two men, aged 32 and 36, were detained early Thursday inside RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire after security personnel discovered an abandoned vehicle and a breach in the base’s perimeter fence, according to police.
Both suspects reside in the UK and were initially arrested on suspicion of trespassing and criminal damage. They were subsequently arrested under the National Security Act on suspicion of entering a prohibited site for a purpose prejudicial to Britain. Their identities and possible motives have not been disclosed.
RAF Molesworth, roughly 70 miles north of London, hosts US military intelligence operations covering Europe and Africa, as well as NATO’s Intelligence Fusion Centre. Although officially designated a Royal Air Force station, the facility is operated by the US military and does not function as an active airfield.
Counterterrorism investigators have taken over the case, but British authorities have not publicly presented evidence that the breach involved espionage, terrorism or a foreign government.
“We’re very aware of the recent heightened interest and concern around military sites,” Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said. However, she acknowledged that “at this stage there is nothing to suggest this incident is connected to the events at RAF Fairford.”
The latest incident follows a much-publicized security scare at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where five men were arrested on September 27 after police discovered three suspicious vans near the base, which had been used by American bombers during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The arrests initially sparked allegations of a possible terrorist bombing or drone attack, with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggesting there were “strong indications” of Iranian involvement. Tehran denied the accusations.
Police subsequently acknowledged that no explosive devices had been discovered, with the investigation finding only quantities of petrol in the vehicles. All five suspects were released on bail within days, prompting further questions about the initial assessment of the threat.
Two additional men, including a dual British-Iranian national, were subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged plot. Both have also been released on bail, bringing the total to seven suspects released without charges.
The Fairford scare also coincided with Washington’s abrupt withdrawal of its B-1 strategic bombers from the UK installation. President Donald Trump linked the decision to security threats, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio played down a direct connection between the alleged plot and the redeployment.
In the latest Molesworth case, investigators also summoned explosives specialists to examine the abandoned vehicle, briefly imposing a security cordon around nearby roads. The restrictions were lifted after nothing suspicious was found.
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