A knife attack on a uniformed British Army officer is not thought to be terrorist-related and the suspect may have mental health problems, according to police.
Investigators have recovered a number of knives from the scene in Gillingham, Kent, where a serviceman aged in his 40s was left with serious injuries just before 6pm yesterday.
Witnesses described hearing screams as the officer was stabbed by a masked attacker who fled the scene on a moped.
Head of the British Army, General Roly Walker, condemned the stabbing as "horrific and unprovoked", while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "shocked and appalled".
Kent Police said the serviceman, who was airlifted to hospital, is in a serious but stable condition.
A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a moped was stopped in Rochester, about 30 minutes after the stabbing, and remains in custody.
Acting Chief Superintendent Richard Woolley said: "We are keeping an open mind as to the motivation behind this incident and we are exploring a number of lines of inquiry.
"These include the possibility this incident was mental health-related as well as any links the suspect may have with the location of the assault.
"The investigation has been supported throughout by Counter Terrorism Policing South East as we work to establish the full circumstances.
"Kent Police officers will continue to be on patrol in the area to offer reassurance to members of the public and are more than happy to speak with anyone who is upset or concerned about what has happened.
"It remains the case that we do not currently believe anyone else was involved and there is no further information at this time to suggest any wider threats to the local community, including members of the armed forces.
"Our thoughts remain with the victim, his family and those who witnessed the incident at this difficult time."
UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper both expressed their shock at the attack.
General Walker said in a post on social media: "I am deeply saddened by the horrific and unprovoked attack on an officer yesterday.
"Our armed forces make extraordinary sacrifices to defend our nation and deserve to be respected.
"My thoughts and best wishes are with him and his family. They have the full support of the chain of command as they recover from this horrendous incident."
The road where police said the incident took place is near Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army's 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.
A spokesman said: "We’re very sorry to confirm that a soldier has sustained serious injuries in an attack in Chatham, Kent.
"Our thoughts are with the soldier and their family and we request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.
"We will continue to work closely with Kent Police to understand what happened and support the investigation."
It is understood that security was tightened at the base in the immediate aftermath of the attack, but has since returned to normal levels.
