Two Latvian Nationals Detained After Perimeter Breach at UK Base Hosting NATO and US Intelligence Operations

British authorities confirmed on Thursday the detention of two Latvian nationals following a security breach at a military installation in southeast England. The suspects were apprehended within the perimeter of RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, a site known to host significant United States and NATO intelligence operations, after the base fence was reportedly compromised.

Counter-terrorism officers stated the men, aged 36 and 32, are in custody facing suspicion of trespassing and entering a prohibited area for purposes deemed prejudicial to the United Kingdom. Police confirm both individuals are Latvian citizens living in the UK. The breach occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning after security patrols discovered an abandoned vehicle near the installation, leading officers to identify a small gap in the perimeter before conducting the arrests.

This event follows a separate high-profile incident at RAF Fairford in southwest England on September 27, where seven men in their twenties were detained over suspicious activity involving white vans and subsequently released on bail. One of those suspects holds dual UK-Iranian citizenship. The tension at Fairford prompted the United States to remove its B-1 bombers from the base amid security concerns.

Despite the proximity of the two incidents, Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing, stated that current evidence does not link the Molesworth arrests to the events at Fairford, though investigators are maintaining an open mind regarding the situation. The nature of the threat associated with the Fairford vans remains unclear.

RAF Molesworth, a former Second World War airfield, now operates as a non-flying facility under the management of the US Air Force. It serves as a home for the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre, which reports a workforce exceeding 200 personnel, and hosts intelligence operations for Washington across Europe and Africa, according to CIA records.

Security breaches at UK military sites have occurred previously; last June, pro-Palestinian activists gained access to RAF Brize Norton and were filmed spraying an aircraft with red paint.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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