IG Austrian Dr Thomas Unden refused to care for migrants

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Austrian Dr Thomas Unden put a sign up in his practice explaining that he would refuse to serve asylum seekers because he had no way of knowing "where they are from". The 57-year-old said: "I don't want to end up treating people where I don't even know what their names are or where they are from, and they don't understand me. "I could have a mass murderer sitting opposite me. I've already experienced an asylum seeker attacking one of my Austrian patients, and I had to throw him out." Although controverisal, his remarks resulted in many praising him as a hero, as Austria brought in the army to stop migrants crossing its borders. And, unabashed, he has now announced he will run for president.

EPA Germany has been sending migrants back to Austria

I could have a mass murderer sitting opposite me Dr Thomas Unden

Announcing his candidacy, Dr Unden added: "I want people to nominate me because I would like to see a president who puts the interests of the Austrian people first." It comes as a surge of violent and sexual crime at the hands of migrants in Central Europe has caused concern among the international community. Just last week, a teenage girl was rushed to hospital after she was allegedly raped by an Afghan migrant she met on a train. The 18-year-old is believed to have been sharing a drink with the 21-year-old asylum seeker in Prater Park in the early hours of the morning when events took a dark turn. In response Vienna has brought in tough new rules that are aimed at stopping migrants who want to travel through Austria to apply for asylum in other countries further into western Europe. The country turns away 1,000 refugees a week because they have forged identification.

EPA Austrian police check refugees' identification at the border

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However, while announcing the tightening of their borders, Austrian officials have been forced to admit they are powerless to deport migrants already in the country who have been involved in much-reported sex attacks against women. As a result, despite the fact the country is currently flying almost 60,000 rejected asylum seekers back home, it does not include any of those who have been convicted of sex attacks like those in Salzburg over the New Year. Austria has been working with its neighbours Germany and Slovenia, to tackle the refugee crisis as migrants frequently move between the three en-route to elsewhere. The escalating migrant crisis has also been linked to the spiralling number of gun permits handed out and growing sales of self-defence items including pepper spray and stun guns. Statistics from the Austrian Interior Ministry show crimes committed by foreigners have increased tenfold in Burgenland, Salzburg and Upper Austria between September and November last year.

EPA Refugees arrive back in Austria from Germany