Two Latvian men aged 36 and 32 have been arrested under the National Security Act after breaching a perimeter fence at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire. Security patrols operated by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) raised the alert at approximately 22:00 BST on Wednesday after identifying an abandoned vehicle near the base.
Following joint searches by the MDP and Cambridgeshire Constabulary, officers located a small breach in the perimeter fence a few hours after the initial alert. The two suspects, who the Metropolitan Police stated live in the UK, were found and arrested inside the base perimeter. Initially detained on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage, the pair were subsequently transferred to a Cambridgeshire police station before facing further arrest under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 for entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Counter Terrorism Policing Leads Investigation Into RAF Molesworth Breach
Counter-terror police are leading the ongoing investigation into the security breach at the Cambridgeshire facility.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, addressed the ongoing inquiries by stating that investigators are keeping an open mind regarding the motivation behind the incident. “Our investigation into this incident is at its very early stages,” Flanagan said, adding that officers are actively examining why the men were present at the site.
Did You Know? RAF Molesworth and nearby RAF Alconbury, located outside the town of Huntingdon, provide vital base support functions to the 423rd Air Base Group, mission partners, and tenant units including the Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre and AFRICOM J2-M.
Security Context and Separation from Prior Incidents
Authorities have emphasized that the breach at RAF Molesworth is not currently linked to a high-profile security incident that occurred at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire last week. Commander Flanagan noted the public interest surrounding military installations, stating, “We’re very aware of the recent heightened interest and concern around military sites, but at this stage there is nothing to suggest this incident is connected to the events at RAF Fairford last week.”
British officials previously highlighted an ongoing high tempo of threats directed toward UK installations, noting that US airbases remain prime targets for potential hostile activity.
Why two Latvian men were arrested at RAF Molesworth
Why were the two Latvian men arrested at RAF Molesworth?
The two men, aged 36 and 32 and resident in the UK, were arrested after a Ministry of Defence Police patrol found an abandoned vehicle and subsequent searches revealed a small breach in the base perimeter fence. They were initially detained for 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 for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Is this incident connected to the security breach at RAF Fairford?
Counter-terrorism police stated that there is currently no evidence linking the RAF Molesworth breach to the high-profile incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, though investigators are keeping an open mind while inquiries continue.
What facilities are located at RAF Molesworth?
RAF Molesworth is a support base used extensively by the US Air Force and hosts the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre Europe Analytic Centre, alongside units of the US Air Force’s 423rd Air Base Group.
What measures could military installations implement next to prevent unauthorized access at perimeter boundaries?
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