Sweden: Man Who Burned Quran in 2023 Killed During Social Live

Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder investigation.

The man who burned a copy of the Quran in 2023 , sparking violent protests in many Islamic countries, was shot dead in Sweden while he was live streaming on his social media profiles. The man was Salwan Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee who became known for publicly burning copies of the Quran in Stockholm. The victim was shot dead in his apartment in Sodertalje. Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder investigation.

Momika attracted international attention on June 28, 2023, when she burned a copy of the Quran in front of Stockholm's main mosque, sparking protests in several Muslim countries. Her actions triggered a diplomatic crisis for Sweden during its NATO accession process and increased the terrorist threat level. Momika was recently on trial for "incitement against an ethnic or national group" due to her acts of desecrating the Quran. Swedish police are investigating the murder, considering several hypotheses, including the possibility that the killer entered Momika's apartment through the roof.

Momika was charged with incitement to hatred in connection with four separate Quran burnings in 2023. The sentence for this crime was due to be handed down today, but the District Court announced in a statement that it was postponing the decision. "Since it has been confirmed that one of the defendants is dead, the sentence must be adjusted to the fact that it is not possible to convict a deceased person," the Stockholm District Court wrote. Salwan Najem, the man accused alongside Salwan Momika, commented on the news on his X profile. "Next is me," Najem wrote, sharing an article about Momika's death. At the end of May last year, Momika, originally from Iraq, received a renewed temporary residence permit in Sweden, valid for one year.