British counter-terrorism police are investigating after two Latvian men were arrested near RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, a military base that houses US and Nato intelligence operations, police said Thursday.The men, aged 32 and 36, were found inside the base after Ministry of Defence Police discovered an abandoned vehicle during a security patrol and spotted a small breach in the perimeter fence. Police arrested them on suspicion of trespassing at a prohibited site and criminal damage.They were later re-arrested under the National Security Act 2023 on suspicion of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.RAF Molesworth, about 100 km north of London, is operated by the US Air Force and houses intelligence personnel from US Africa Command and the Nato Intelligence Fusion Center, which provides information to Nato’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.Police said counter-terrorism officers were investigating the incident because of the nature of the allegations. Two properties in the Peterborough area were also searched as part of the investigation.An abandoned vehicle recovered during the operation was examined by bomb disposal officers, but nothing of concern was found, police said.Counter Terrorism Policing London chief Helen Flanagan said there was nothing at this stage to suggest the arrests were connected to last week’s events at RAF Fairford, where several men were arrested over a suspected plot to attack the airbase.The British government has linked the suspected Fairford plot to Iran, which has denied involvement. US officials have also said concerns over a possible Iran-linked threat prompted the removal of American bombers from Fairford.Police said Thursday’s incident was not currently linked to that case.
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