Ayman al-Zawahiri
The leader of Al-Qaeda has urged jihadists throughout the world to kidnap westerners - just days after two men tried to bundle an RAF serviceman into a van at knife-point.
Speaking in Arabic, Egyptian doctor Ayman Al-Zawahiri released a video last night urging terrorists to abduct westerners and use them as bargaining chips to free jailed militants.
Police close a road close to RAF Marham in Norfolk
The terror chief's chilling words came just after two men tried to grab a serviceman, aged in his 20s, while he was out jogging near RAF Marham in Norfolk on Thursday.
Assistant Chief Constable Nick Dean told a press conference: "Our main line if investigation is that this is being treated as an attempted abduction.
“The motivation of this incident remains unclear, we are unable at this moment to discount terrorism."
Tornado fighter bombers are bombing Islamic State forces in Syria and Iraq and terror experts fear the motive for the attack may have been revenge for Britain’s involvement.
Senior commanders have briefed troops to be extra vigilant against a similar horror to the grisly knife murder of Fusiler Rigby in a London street.
Al-Zawahari tells them to kidnap westerners "until they liberate the last Muslim male prisoner and last Muslim female prisoner in the prisons of the Crusaders, apostates, and enemies of Islam".
He added that kidnapping was a "powerful weapon in the fight against the enemy".
He managed to fight them off and escape amid fears the pair were plotting a Lee Rigby-style terrorism attack.
Police today announced it is possible one of the suspects involved in the attempted abduction suffered a black eye after the victim head-butted his attacker before punching him to the ground.
The second suspect, who was armed with a knife, went to help his accomplice, allowing the victim to run away and get help.
Police said the frightened victim had been left “very, very shaken by the ordeal.”
Detective Superintendent Paul Durham, from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, who is leading the enquiry, said: "The victim managed to fight off his attacker and head-butted him, we believe around the eye-socket, so it is possible he suffered swelling and bruising in this area.
"He was then punched which caused him to fall to the ground. Clearly the extent of his injuries is unknown however we do not believe either attack caused the suspect to bleed, contrary to reports circulating in the media.
"If you know someone who matches the description of our suspect, who has a similar injury, then I would urge you to contact my officers.”
Detectives also said it was likely that more than just two men were involved in the attack at the base which is home to Tornado GR4 bombers flying bombing missions against ISIS and other jihadists from a forward base in Cyprus.
Det Sup Durham said "extensive enquiries" were ongoing and renewed appeals for sightings of a dark-coloured people carrier used by the suspects.
He said: "While the victim only witnessed two attackers, there may have been more than two people in the vehicle and given the nature of the attack, it is likely they were part of a larger team."
One resident posted a message she received from one of the wives of a serving airman saying: “If you’re outside go in the house and lock the doors. Apparently there’s a terrorist around.
“We aren’t allowed off camp until they’ve been caught.”
Counter-terror expert and author Major Chris Hunter told the Daily Mirror: “It is early days and the authorities have not directly linked the attacks to terrorism yet.
“But if they do this is exactly the kind of attack that has been recommended both in the strategy of al-Qaeda and Islamic State who have encouraged attacks in the UK and the rest of the so-called allies’ homeland.
“They have even called for crude attacks from so-called lone wolves this particular kind of tactic is completely consistent with the guidance and directives of al-Qaeda and ISIS in their 'death by a thousand cuts'."
A leaked internal memo reveals bosses described the incident as an ‘alleged attempted abduction’.
The memo sent to staff by Rich Curzon, in Protective Security at the MoD, said: “Following a security incident at RAF Marham, it is directed that all personnel keep a low profile and not make themselves vulnerable.
“Specifically, until the threat subsides, no-one is to be on their own on foot, or on a bicycle, within the local area in uniform or clothing which might identify them with the military.”
Last week Interpol warned that there is now a heightened terror threat against the west from “lone wolf” attackers.
One security source said: “There is a great deal of concern that home grown extremists unable to get out to Syria or Iraq could take on the call to arms from Islamic State.
“For some time now both ISIS and other similar extremist organisations have been trying to encourage attacks, no matter how, small against westerners.
“And because of the links between RAF Marham and British air strikes in Iraq and Syria it is possible a group wanted to make a devastating statement to the world.”
“The motivation of this incident remains unclear, we are unable at this moment to discount terrorism."
Tornado fighter bombers are bombing Islamic State forces in Syria and Iraq and terror experts fear the motive for the attack may have been revenge for Britain’s involvement.
Senior commanders have briefed troops to be extra vigilant against a similar horror to the grisly knife murder of Fusiler Rigby in a London street.
Al-Zawahari tells them to kidnap westerners "until they liberate the last Muslim male prisoner and last Muslim female prisoner in the prisons of the Crusaders, apostates, and enemies of Islam".
He added that kidnapping was a "powerful weapon in the fight against the enemy".
He managed to fight them off and escape amid fears the pair were plotting a Lee Rigby-style terrorism attack.
The second suspect, who was armed with a knife, went to help his accomplice, allowing the victim to run away and get help.
Police said the frightened victim had been left “very, very shaken by the ordeal.”
Detective Superintendent Paul Durham, from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, who is leading the enquiry, said: "The victim managed to fight off his attacker and head-butted him, we believe around the eye-socket, so it is possible he suffered swelling and bruising in this area.
"He was then punched which caused him to fall to the ground. Clearly the extent of his injuries is unknown however we do not believe either attack caused the suspect to bleed, contrary to reports circulating in the media.
"If you know someone who matches the description of our suspect, who has a similar injury, then I would urge you to contact my officers.”
Detectives also said it was likely that more than just two men were involved in the attack at the base which is home to Tornado GR4 bombers flying bombing missions against ISIS and other jihadists from a forward base in Cyprus.
Det Sup Durham said "extensive enquiries" were ongoing and renewed appeals for sightings of a dark-coloured people carrier used by the suspects.
He said: "While the victim only witnessed two attackers, there may have been more than two people in the vehicle and given the nature of the attack, it is likely they were part of a larger team."
One resident posted a message she received from one of the wives of a serving airman saying: “If you’re outside go in the house and lock the doors. Apparently there’s a terrorist around.
“We aren’t allowed off camp until they’ve been caught.”
Counter-terror expert and author Major Chris Hunter told the Daily Mirror: “It is early days and the authorities have not directly linked the attacks to terrorism yet.
“But if they do this is exactly the kind of attack that has been recommended both in the strategy of al-Qaeda and Islamic State who have encouraged attacks in the UK and the rest of the so-called allies’ homeland.
“They have even called for crude attacks from so-called lone wolves this particular kind of tactic is completely consistent with the guidance and directives of al-Qaeda and ISIS in their 'death by a thousand cuts'."
A leaked internal memo reveals bosses described the incident as an ‘alleged attempted abduction’.
The memo sent to staff by Rich Curzon, in Protective Security at the MoD, said: “Following a security incident at RAF Marham, it is directed that all personnel keep a low profile and not make themselves vulnerable.
“Specifically, until the threat subsides, no-one is to be on their own on foot, or on a bicycle, within the local area in uniform or clothing which might identify them with the military.”
Last week Interpol warned that there is now a heightened terror threat against the west from “lone wolf” attackers.
One security source said: “There is a great deal of concern that home grown extremists unable to get out to Syria or Iraq could take on the call to arms from Islamic State.
“For some time now both ISIS and other similar extremist organisations have been trying to encourage attacks, no matter how, small against westerners.
“And because of the links between RAF Marham and British air strikes in Iraq and Syria it is possible a group wanted to make a devastating statement to the world.”
The late Fusilier Lee Rigby
Giovanni Lo Porto was killed by a US drone strike
Warren Weinstein was also being held in the Al-Qaeda camp
Michael Adebolajo is serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of Lee Rugby
Michael Adebowale murdered Lee Rugby, 25, outside his barracks in Woolwich
In the video Al-Zawahiri also made reference to two former captives, Giovanni Lo Porto and Warren Weinstein who were both killed by a US drone strike whilst being held in an Al-Qaeda camp on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border in 2015.
He claims that both had genuinely converted to Islam while in captivity.
Al-Zawahiri has headed al-Qaeda since a US military operation killed his predecessor and founder, Osama bin Laden, in May 2011 in Pakistan.
Al-Zawahiri is credited by many as having been the brains behind the 9/11 attacks and those on the London transport system in July 2005 that left 52 people dead.
He was Bin Laden’s physician and right-hand man and tops the CIA’s list of ‘most wanted’ terrorists released in 2001, with a £15 million bounty on his head.
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