ITV News Anglia reports that two Latvian men, aged 32 and 26, have been released on bail after an arrest inside RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire. They were detained at 2am on Thursday after police found a small hole in the perimeter fence.
Police later carried out two searches at addresses in the Peterborough area, and Commander Helen Flanagan said the inquiry is still focused on why the men were at the site. RAF Molesworth is used by the US military and Nato for intelligence work.
RAF Molesworth arrest
Military police found an abandoned vehicle near RAF Molesworth at around 10pm on Wednesday, about four hours before the arrests. The vehicle was taken to a nearby police location, and officers from Cambridgeshire police joined the search after the fence damage was identified.
The men were first arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and causing criminal damage. Police then arrested them again on suspicion of an offence under section 4 of the National Security Act 2023, which covers entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.
Helen Flanagan investigation
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said there was nothing from the inquiry so far to suggest a connection to an incident near RAF Fairford in September. She also said the force was “very aware of the recent heightened interest and concern around military sites”.
Flanagan added: “Our investigation continues and we are working closely with colleagues from the Ministry of Defence police and Cambridgeshire constabulary on this. A key line of inquiry remains to identify any potential motivation behind why the men were at that location, and this includes whether it may be connected to any criminal activity,”
Peterborough searches
The bail conditions keep the case active while police continue to examine motive and possible criminal activity. The two searches in the Peterborough area suggest the inquiry has moved beyond the gate breach itself and into the men’s wider movements and any evidence linked to their entry.
For now, the immediate change is simple: the two Latvians are out on bail, but the investigation has not closed. The unanswered issue is why they were inside RAF Molesworth at all.
