Two Latvian nationals arrested on suspicion of trespass offences at RAF base

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of trespass offences at an RAF base in Cambridgeshire.

The two men, aged 36 and 32, were arrested inside the base perimeter of RAF Molesworth in the early hours of Thursday.

Both are Latvian nationals, currently resident in the UK.

Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) carrying out security patrols at RAF Molesworth initially identified an abandoned vehicle around 10pm on Wednesday.

Police from Cambridgeshire Constabulary also performed further searches around the site.

A small breach of the perimeter fence was subsequently identified and at approximately 2am on 8 October, the two men were found and arrested.

They were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage and taken to a Cambridgeshire police station.

The pair have since been further arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 4 of the National Security Act 2023 - namely entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK. Both men currently remain in police custody.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, which is leading the investigation, said: "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.

"Our investigation into this incident is at its very early stages. A big part of this is looking at any potential motivation as to why the men were present at the site, but I must stress we are keeping an open mind at this stage and enquiries are very much ongoing."

Officers are currently carrying out two searches at addresses in Peterborough in connection with the investigation.

RAF Molesworth is home to the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre, which supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Allied Command Operations - responsible for the planning and execution of the organisation's operations.

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In 2024, the US's Defence Intelligence Agency said it had broken ground on a $556mn (£421mn) facility at the base, which will support US military intelligence in Europe and Africa and employ 1,000 intelligence personnel.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "Our thanks go to the MoD and civilian police and security teams for their swift response.

"We remain highly vigilant to potential threats against defence sites and work closely with the police and our allies to keep them secure.

"The protection of our bases is kept under constant review, with a multi-layered approach that includes physical barriers, patrols, surveillance, monitoring, and counter-drone capabilities."

(c) Sky News 2026: Two Latvian nationals arrested on suspicion of trespass offences at RAF base