Refugees In Austria: Afghan Asylum-Seeker Allegedly Attacks Woman For Reading Bible

An Afghan refugee stabbed a woman in northern Austria when he heard her reading the Bible at an asylum center, according to reports.

Last Thursday, police said the incident took place in the Timelkam municipality in Upper Austria state. The 22-year-old refugee allegedly attacked the woman in her 50s after she and her husband were invited to read the Bible by some Christian residents at the asylum center. He reportedly stabbed her when he heard her reading the Bible.

However, the woman did not sustain serious injuries as her thick winter coat protected her from the stabbing. But she reportedly hurt her ear when she fell backwards.

Police detained the attacker — who has not been identified — and took him to a jail in the city of Wels, nearly 35 miles from Timelkam. He told officials that he stabbed the woman because he was dealing with “personal problems.” He also said that he had never seen the woman before.

This comes at a time when Europe is facing a massive refugee crisis with some Europeans expressing concerns over security after asylum-seekers from the Middle East and Africa settle in the continent. In November, the Austrian Interior Ministry reportedly said the country witnessed a steep rise in the number of crimes involving asylum-seekers over the past few years.

In December 2015, an Iraqi refugee raped a 10-year-old boy at a swimming pool in Vienna. The culprit told police that committed the act because he had a “sexual emergency.” Last June, he was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual abuse and the rape of a minor.