Priest reportedly stabbed at home after refusing to give cash to asylum seeker

A priest in Belgium has been stabbed by a man claiming to be an asylum seeker he had allowed in to his home to use his shower, it has been reported.

Father Jos Vanderlee, 65, suffered injuries to his hands during the incident.

The suspect went to the priest’s house and asked if he could shower, and said he wanted to apply for asylum in The Netherlands, Nieuwsblad reports.

After the man showered he demanded money from Vanderlee, and when he refused a skirmish followed.

He reportedly lunged at the priest, whose hands were slashed in the confrontation.

The assailant fled the scene.

The priest was rushed to hospital but is not believed to be in a serious condition.

The mayor of Lanaken, Marino Keulen, said: “Despite the fact that we are shocked, we must stress that this incident can not be linked to terrorist acts at this stage of the investigation.”

At this stage it is not believed that the attacker was from the asylum centre in Lanaken.

Police have launched a manhunt to find him.

The pastor had recently celebrated his 40th year in the church and is responsible for eight parishes in the local area.

The incident comes just days after French Catholic priest Jacques Hamel was knifed to death by two ISIS fanatics.

The 85-year-old clergyman was in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy, France, when he was attacked by the teenage knifemen on Tuesday.

This story first appeared in The Sun.