LONDON – Salwan Momika, known for publicly burning copies of the Holy Quran, was shot dead in his apartment in Sweden on Wednesday night, state media reported on Thursday.
Salwan Sabah Matti Momika, 38, was found dead at his address in the city of Sodertalje, public broadcaster SVT reported.
A man in his 40s was found shot in an apartment and he was rushed to the hospital, a spokesman for the Stockholm police said.
Later, the police confirmed that a man had died and that they launched an investigation into the murder.
According to the report, Danish police have also been briefed about the killing.
Reports said the shooting may have been broadcast live on on social media.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said killing of Momika is “spectacular” incident that security services heavily engaged into the investigation, local media reported.
“There is obviously a risk that there is a connection to a foreign power,” Kristersson said at a press conference.
Momika, an Iraqi Christian, was granted a residence permit in 2021 and has since gained notoriety for organizing a series of Quran copy burnings in public places throughout the Nordic country.
Last year, Momika, along with Salwan Najem, were formally charged with “offences of agitation against an ethnic or national group” four separate times which they had committed in the summer of 2023.
The Swedish Migration Agency had revoked Momika’s residency permit, citing false information in his original application.
Then Momika, who was living in Sweden since 2018, left for Norway on March 27 last year but was arrested and deported back to Sweden.
The burning of Quran copies in Sweden and Denmark under the pretext of free speech has sparked a backlash in Muslim countries, including attacks on diplomatic missions.
Following protests in the Muslim world, Denmark passed legislation in December making it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places. -AA
