AMBUSH HAUNTS AIRMAN
THE airman at the centre of an attempted abduction at an RAF base said the ordeal had “turned his world upside down”.
The married man was running in the village of Marham in Norfolk on July 20 when he was ambushed by two men.
The victim, who is in his late 20s, said he was near RAF Marham when a man tried to drag him towards a nearby car.
He told police how he knocked one of the attackers to the ground.
The other, who was carrying a knife, helped up his accomplice before both of them fled.
Speaking as part of a BBC Crimewatch appeal to be shown tomorrow night, the serviceman said: “This whole event has turned my world upside down.
“The outcome could have been a lot more severe, but it’s the ‘what ifs’ you know, not being able to see my wife again, not being able to see my family again.
“And I knew what I had to do to get away. I was fighting for my life.
“I won’t let this stop me from doing things I need to do, but it does affect you emotionally.”
Norfolk police are appealing for information on the attempted attack.
A clip released by the BBC ahead of the programme features the victim’s FELICITY CROSS words spoken by an actor. Police said the first suspect was aged between 20 and 30. He was about 6ft, athletic but stocky, with dark hair which was long on top, and a well-groomed beard.
He had a dark skin tone and was wearing casual clothing.
He may have suffered a facial injury during the incident when the victim defended himself.
The second suspect is described as between 20 and 30, but younger than the first suspect and slimmer.
He was about 5ft 10ins, clean-shaven with short dark hair and wore a white T-shirt and dark shorts.
Police think the attackers were likely to have been part of a larger team.
Det Supt Paul Durham said: “While the victim only witnessed two attackers, there may have been more than two people in the vehicle.
“Given the nature of the attack, it is likely they were part of a larger team.”
The attempted abduction echoed the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby, 25, by Islamic extremists Michael Adebolajo, 31, and Michael Adebowale, 25. They attacked him near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London in May 2013. YOUNGER: 2nd man