Swedish police find Iraqi Quran burner shot dead in Stockholm Investigation launched / photo

Swedish police have announced that Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who burned and desecrated the Quran in 2023 and sparked worldwide outrage, has been found shot dead in an apartment in the Hofjo area of Södertälje, south of the capital, Stockholm, on January 29.

The police launched an investigation into the fatal shooting, Caliber.Az reports, citing Al Arabiya.

According to Swedish Radio, authorities responded to reports of gunfire at the scene and discovered Momika with gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Local media reported that his murder was filmed and that he was on social media at the time of the attack.

Momika made international headlines in 2023 after staging multiple Quran-burning demonstrations, sparking widespread condemnation from the Arab world and beyond. His actions led to diplomatic tensions between Sweden and several Middle Eastern and Islamic nations, with some countries summoning Swedish diplomats in protest.

In Iraq, demonstrators stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice, setting it on fire during the second incident in July 2023. The Iraqi government subsequently expelled the Swedish ambassador.

Momika faced legal action in Sweden for inciting hatred against an ethnic group. The Stockholm court was scheduled to issue a ruling in his case today, on January 30, but postponed its decision following his death.

Reports indicate that an armed assailant stormed Momika’s apartment and shot him, though details about the perpetrator remain unclear. Police have not disclosed potential motives or suspects but confirmed an ongoing murder investigation.

Momika, originally from Iraq, had been subject to deportation from Sweden since 2014. The Swedish Migration Court approved his expulsion, but he reportedly left for Norway in March of that year to seek asylum.

Sweden has been on high alert for security threats following the 2023 Quran-burning incidents. In August 2024, the country raised its terrorism threat level to the second highest, warning of increased risks to Swedish citizens both domestically and abroad.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Momika’s killing as the case unfolds.

By Khagan Isayev