Five suspects arrested

Salwan Momika, infamous for Quran-burning, killed in Sweden

NEWSROOM — Salwan Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee known for his controversial Quran-burning protests in Sweden, was shot and killed Wednesday night at his home in Hovsjö, Södertälje, near Stockholm, according to Sweden’s national public broadcaster SVT News and other local media outlets.

Police confirmed to SVT News that five individuals were arrested overnight in connection with the incident and are now in custody. However, authorities have not yet identified the perpetrator.

A Stockholm court was scheduled to rule on Thursday whether Momika, who burned Qurans at multiple protests, was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred. AFP reported that the ruling was postponed until Feb. 3, stating that “because Salwan Momika has died, more time is needed.”

In 2023, Momika staged several burnings and desecrations of Islam’s holy book in Sweden. Videos of his protests gained international attention, provoking outrage and condemnation across several Muslim-majority countries.

The Iraqi government condemned the acts as “racist” and “irresponsible,” summoning the Swedish ambassador to express its disapproval. When another Quran burning was planned in Stockholm, Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador on July 20, 2023.

Public anger in Iraq escalated, leading protesters to storm the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023, setting parts of it on fire. The Iraqi government subsequently severed diplomatic and business ties with Sweden.

In March 2023, Momika was arrested in Norway after stating that he intended to seek asylum there. He was later deported back to Sweden.

In August 2023, Swedish authorities charged Momika and co-protester Salwan Najem with “agitation against an ethnic group” on four occasions during the summer protests.