Two Latvians Arrested Inside UK Military Base Released On Bail

Two Latvian men arrested inside a UK military base managed by the US military were released on bail on Friday.

The men, aged 32 and 36, were freed with strict conditions as UK counter-terrorism police continue their investigation. They were found early Thursday at Royal Air Force (RAF) Molesworth base in Cambridgeshire, which is linked to US and NATO intelligence hubs. Police located a small breach in the perimeter fence. Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) found an abandoned vehicle at approximately 10 pm on Wednesday night near RAF Molesworth, prompting a search that led to the discovery of a hole in the fence and the men a few hours later.

The men were initially held on suspicion of trespassing and criminal damage, then re-arrested under the National Security Act on suspicion of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK. RAF Molesworth, located roughly 70 miles north of London, hosts US military intelligence operations covering Europe and Africa, and NATO’s Intelligence Fusion Centre.

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, states there is nothing so far to suggest this incident is connected to events at RAF Fairford last week. The arrests occurred days after a major incident at RAF Fairford in southwest England, where UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were strong indications of Iranian involvement, leading the United States to withdraw its B-1 bombers stationed there.

Flanagan states a key line of inquiry remains to identify any potential motivation behind why the men were at that location, including whether it may be connected to any criminal activity.