An undercover drug control police officer was stabbed in the arm three times with a 13-inch carving knife during an attempted bust last night as he attempted to buy cocaine from three suspects in East Cambridge, city police said.

Marcel Laurol Jr., 17, of Memorial Road in Somerville, Rodolphe Marcelin, 20, of Columbia Street in Cambridge, and Karlex Mondesor, 18, of Washington Street in Cambridge were arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder, Cambridge police spokesperson Det. Frank Pasquarello said last night. He said there may be additional charges as the case develops.

The undercover officer, James Hyde of the Somerville Police Department, was speaking with the three suspects on Columbia Street when one of them pulled out a white stainless steel knife and began slashing at the officer, police said.

The officer was treated at Cambridge Hospital for three wounds to his forearm, hand and finger and was released last night, Pasquarello said. Cambridge District Attorney Tom Reilly and Police Commissioner Perry L. Anderson Jr. both rushed to the emergency room to visit the wounded officer, police said.

After the suspect brandished the knife, Cambridge police back-up units stationed in the area arrived on the scene, but were unable to prevent the attack, police said. The back-up officers arrested the three suspects after a brief struggle, according to a Cambridge police press release.

Pasquarello said undercover drug control officers from other cities are occasionally used in Cambridge because dealers quickly learn to recognize the faces of Cambridge officers.

Hyde was involved in a similar undercover drug bust one year ago. In that incident, Hyde's arm was caught in the car door of a suspect's vehicle, and he was dragged about a mile, sustaining serious injuries, Pasquarello said.