Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man known for inciting controversy with Koran-burning protests in Sweden in 2023, has been shot dead in Stockholm, according to Swedish officials. The prosecutor’s office confirmed his death occurred on Wednesday, and police have since detained five individuals on murder charges. Momika was expected to receive a court verdict on incitement to racial hatred on Thursday, a sentencing now postponed due to his death.
Having moved to Sweden from Iraq in 2018, Momika publicly stated his belief that the Koran should be banned, citing its perceived threats to democracy and human rights. Initially, Stockholm authorities denied him the right to protest; however, this ruling was overturned, affirming his right to free speech.
Momika maintained an account on social media, which garnered over 230,000 followers, often sharing content that included anti-Islam sentiments. Recently, he had solicited financial support for legal assistance aimed at securing asylum in the United States.
The investigation into his murder has been handed over to a prosecutor, with security services involved due to the potential for foreign influence behind the act, as highlighted by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.