Iraqi man Salwan Momika, who burned Quran in Sweden, shot dead

Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee in Sweden, was killed hours before a court ruling on his repeated Quran burnings during anti-Islam protests. On Thursday, police announced they had arrested five individuals in connection with his murder. The 38-year-old Momika was reportedly shot in his home in Sodertalje, near Stockholm. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson assured the public that security services were deeply involved, as there might be a connection to foreign powers.

Vice Prime Minister Ebba Busch condemned the killing, stating it was a threat to democracy and must be met with full societal force. The Stockholm District Court, which was set to rule on Momika’s and his co-defendant’s charges of “agitation against an ethnic or national group,” postponed its verdict until February 3 following Momika’s death.

The charges stemmed from Momika’s acts of desecrating the Quran and making derogatory remarks about Muslims, including burning the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque. Prosecutor Rasmus Oman confirmed the murder investigation was in its early stages, with authorities gathering information. Media outlets reported that the shooting may have been livestreamed on social media, with footage showing police ending a live broadcast from Momika’s TikTok account.

This murder occurred just months after Sweden raised its terrorism alert to the second-highest level in response to global outrage over Quran burnings. Iraqi protesters stormed Sweden’s embassy in Baghdad twice in 2023, setting fires within the compound during the second attack.

Momika, who had lived in Sweden since 2018, faced possible deportation in 2023 for allegedly providing false information on his residency application. However, Sweden’s migration agency granted him a temporary residency permit after determining he was at risk of torture in Iraq.

In March 2024, Momika attempted to seek asylum in Norway, criticizing Sweden’s claim of protecting human rights and freedom of expression. But Norway deported him back to Sweden a few weeks later.