A man who gained international attention for burning copies of the Quran in Sweden has been shot and killed. A Swedish judge confirmed the death of Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man whose protests led to widespread demonstrations in Muslim-majority countries.
Momika fatally shot in apartment near Stockholm
Authorities said Momika was shot the night of Wednesday, Jan. 29, in an apartment building in Södertälje, near Stockholm, Sweden. He later died from his injuries.
Swedish media report that authorities arrested five people in connection with the shooting. However, officials have not confirmed whether his killing was related to his past actions.
Prosecutors have opened a murder investigation. Investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive for the shooting.
Momika’s protests sparked riots and diplomatic backlash
Momika first gained global attention in 2023 after staging public Quran burnings in Sweden. He claimed his actions were a protest against Islam as a religion, not against individual Muslims. His demonstrations triggered violent riots, diplomatic fallout and increased security threats for Sweden.
While Swedish authorities initially allowed his protests under the country’s free speech laws, police later charged him with incitement to hatred. At the time of his death, Momika was awaiting a court verdict related to those charges. The court has now postponed his trial.
Sweden investigates possible foreign involvement
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said authorities are taking the case seriously and warned of possible foreign involvement in Momika’s killing. However, investigators have not released further details on any potential international links.
Momika’s case is not the first to test Sweden’s free speech laws. Danish-Swedish activist Rasmus Paludan was previously convicted of incitement. His conviction came after organizing multiple Quran burnings and making offensive remarks about Muslims.
A Swedish court sentenced him to four months in prison. The court ruled his actions crossed the line from criticism to hate speech.
Momika’s death comes amid heightened tensions over religious protests in Sweden, with previous Quran burnings leading to cyberattacks, diplomatic crises and threats of violence against Swedish officials. Authorities said the investigation into his killing is ongoing.
