Police hunt two men after knife attack on RAF officer

Knife threat: The incident happened near RAF Marham
PA
Mark Chandler21 July 2016
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Police are hunting two men who threatened an RAF officer with a knife near his base, sparking fears of a Lee Rigby-style attack.

Officers were put on patrol around RAF Marham in Norfolk last night after the officer was threatened with the blade and reportedly fought them off.

Norfolk Constabulary said they would not speculate on whether the incident was related to terrorism, and the county's police and crime commissioner said a "very intensive investigation" was under way.

However, an RAF source told The Sun: "Everything we’ve seen points to the strong possibility this was a terror attack. This could’ve been a lot more serious. We’ve been very lucky.”

Other officers were hidden in a secure bunker, the paper reported, while local residents were advised not to leave their homes.

The incident shares some elements of the attack on Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, although the serviceman was not injured in Wednesday's incident.

Murdered: Fusilier Lee Rigby was killed outside his Woolwich barracks 
PA

Police said they were called just before 3.30pm to reports that two men armed with a knife had approached the serviceman, who was not in uniform at the time, near the base's accommodation for married people.

After threatening the man with the weapon they sped off in a dark-coloured Ford Galaxy.

Streets around the area were sealed off while an investigation took place and the road where the incident occurred stayed closed last night.

Lorne Green, Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, told the East Anglian Daily Times that the incident was under "close investigation with an open mind".

He said: "There is nothing at the moment to strongly suggest one motive above another and it is all subject to a very intensive investigation at the moment.

Threat: The officer serves at RAF Marham
Carl Court/Getty Images

"There is a very close co-operation between the constabulary and the military police, which is ongoing at the moment."

Police officers were carrying out reassurance patrols around the base into Wednesday night.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We are aware of an ongoing police operation in relation to an incident near RAF Marham. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

Fusilier Rigby was murdered by Islamic extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale outside Woolwich Barracks in 2013.

The pair, who were later jailed, first drove into the soldier, who was not in uniform, before attacking him with knives.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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