Two Latvian men were arrested by the police in England for violating the perimeter of RAF Molesworth airbase, which is used by U.S. military personnel.
Incident Details
The two men, residents of England, aged 36 and 32, were arrested by counter-terrorism police at this base located in southeast England, 70 miles north of London. The police stated that they are being held on charges of trespassing, causing damage, and entering a prohibited area with harmful intent towards England.
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Background of RAF Molesworth
RAF Molesworth, which operated as an airbase during World War II, is now a non-flying center managed by the U.S. Air Force. The base hosts intelligence personnel from the Africa Command and NATO's Intelligence Fusion Center, providing information to the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
This incident follows the arrest of several men in connection with a terrorist plot at another airbase in England last month. London’s counter-terrorism police announced that investigations began on Wednesday morning after an abandoned vehicle was found near the base.
Investigations and Arrests
The police arrested the two suspects around 2 a.m. on Thursday after discovering a small hole in the base's fence. The men were initially arrested on charges of trespassing and causing damage, and were later charged with entering a prohibited area with intent to harm England. Both are still in police custody, and due to the nature of the crime, the matter is under investigation by counter-terrorism police.
On September 27, authorities discovered three suspicious vans near RAF Fairford, the airbase from which U.S. bombers launched attacks on Iran. This led to extensive investigations resulting in seven arrests. Last week, the U.S. Air Force returned all bombers stationed at this base home.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of the counter-terrorism unit, stated that despite being aware of increasing concerns regarding military sites, there is no indication that this incident is connected to recent events at RAF Fairford, although investigations are still in their early stages.
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