British counter-terrorism police are investigating after two Latvian men were arrested near a Royal Air Force base ‌in Cambridgeshire early on Thursday (local time).

Police said there was ‌nothing so far to suggest the incident was linked to a suspected plot to attack a ‌different air base in western England that had been used by US military to launch bombing missions against Iran.

The men were discovered after Ministry of Defence Police found an abandoned vehicle during a security patrol at RAF Molesworth, about 100 kilometres north of London and raised the ‌alarm.

Subsequent ‌checks found ⁠a small breach in the perimeter fence, and the men – aged ​32 and 36 – were then arrested inside the base.

They were initially arrested on suspicion of trespassing on a prohibited site and criminal damage, then re-arrested on suspicion of “entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK” under the National Security Act 2023.

Last month, several men were ⁠arrested over a suspected plot to attack Fairford air base, ‌145 kilometres west of London.
The government has linked the suspected plot to Iran, which ​has denied any ‌involvement.

The incident raised concern about the security across Britain’s military bases, particularly those used by ​US forces. The US said on Monday that a threat linked to Iran had prompted the removal of its bombers from Fairford.

“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,” Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said on Thursday.

In relation to Thursday’s arrests, police said they were also searching two addresses in the Peterborough area in ​connection with the investigation.

An abandoned vehicle was recovered by police and later checked by ​bomb disposal officers. Nothing of concern was found, police said.