Probe into knifepoint abduction attempt on RAF man

POLICE investigating the attempted knifepoint abduction of an RAF serviceman said there may have been an element of “pre-planning” and they cannot rule out terrorism as a motive.

The married serviceman, who is in his late 20s, was out running near RAF Marham, in Norfolk, on Wednesday when he was grabbed by a man, who attempted to drag him towards a nearby car.

The victim knocked the first attacker to the floor before a knife-wielding accomplice helped him up. Both men, of Middle Eastern appearance, then fled.

The serviceman was said to have been left “very, very shaken by his ordeal”.

Norfolk Police Detective Superintendent Paul Durham said: “I can confirm we are treating this as an attempted abduction and detailed inquiries are being carried out at the scene to establish the full circumstances.

“The motivation for the attack remains unclear at this time, and whilst we are currently unable to discount terrorism, there are a number of other possible hypotheses. We are therefore carrying out a thorough investigation to understand what has happened, why and who is responsible.”

Detectives have set up a dedicated hotline appealing for information about the two suspects who are still at large following an attempted abduction at RAF Marham.

A Norfolk Police spokesman said sightings of a darkcoloured people carrier in the King’s Lynn area of Norfolk, which the two men drove off in yesterday afternoon, were of particular interest.

The airbase was put on high alert, with a roadblock in place on one route into Marham and police patrols.