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| Norfolk Police 'unable to discount terrorism' as motive for attempted abduction of serviceman at RAF base | Norfolk Police 'unable to discount terrorism' as motive for attempted abduction of serviceman at RAF base |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two men who threatened a serviceman with a knife near an RAF base on Wednesday were trying to abduct him, according to a leaked official memo. | Two men who threatened a serviceman with a knife near an RAF base on Wednesday were trying to abduct him, according to a leaked official memo. |
| Norfolk Police have said they are "unable to discount terrorism" as a motive for the attempted knife point abduction and released the description of the "two Asian males" they were looking for. | |
| RAF Marham near King's Lynn is home to four squadrons who have been conducting air raids against Isis targets in Iraq and Syria from a base in Cyprus since December last year. | RAF Marham near King's Lynn is home to four squadrons who have been conducting air raids against Isis targets in Iraq and Syria from a base in Cyprus since December last year. |
| The base was temporarily locked down after the incident at around 3:40pm when the pair attempted to grab the unnamed serviceman, believed to be in his 20s, but he fought them off. | |
| The serviceman was unharmed in the incident. | |
| A note addressed to all service personnel at the base, seen by the Daily Mirror, warned: "Two Asian males approached a serviceman who was running approximately one mile outside of RAF Marham main gate and tried to bundle him into their vehicle. | |
| "The vehicle was a dark-coloured Ford Galaxy. | "The vehicle was a dark-coloured Ford Galaxy. |
| "The Asian males were carrying a knife when the serviceman was approached." | "The Asian males were carrying a knife when the serviceman was approached." |
| A second memo warned all military staff to keep a low profile while in the area, avoid being alone while riding a bicycle or on foot and not to wear anything that may distinguish them as members of the air force. | A second memo warned all military staff to keep a low profile while in the area, avoid being alone while riding a bicycle or on foot and not to wear anything that may distinguish them as members of the air force. |
| Detective Superintendent Paul Durham, from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team 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. | "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. |
| "Visible patrols continue in the area and officers will be carrying out house-to-house enquiries and detailed searches of the scene in Squires Hill, which remains closed for the time being." | "Visible patrols continue in the area and officers will be carrying out house-to-house enquiries and detailed searches of the scene in Squires Hill, which remains closed for the time being." |
| Both suspects were described by police as being between 20 and 30 years old and "of Middle Eastern appearance". |