An Iraqi Christian man who had publicly burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden died on Thursday after he was shot at his home in Stockholm the previous day, local media reported.
On Wednesday night, “the police were alerted to a suspected shooting that has taken place indoors in an apartment building,” the Swedish Police said in a statement about the suspected murder of Salwan Momika, 38. Police found his body “hit by gunfire” and he was brought to a hospital, where he died on Thursday morning, the report said.
Police have five suspects in custody, they said. Authorities suspect the involvement of “a foreign power,” a Swedish television station reported. Swedish authorities did not elaborate on the motives behind Momika’s suspected murder.
In 2023, Momika set fire to a copy of Islam’s holy book outside Stockholm Central Mosque, triggering violent protests.
A media outlet on Telegram affiliated with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq called for Iranian Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to issue a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Momika, MEMRI reported.
According to Dagens Nyheter, Momika was killed while filming himself and possibly while streaming on social media.
Momika was charged in August alongside one other with “agitation against an ethnic group” on four occasions in the summer of 2023, in connection with the Quran burning.
Following the outbreak of war on Oct. 7, 2023, between Israel and Hamas and other terrorist groups, Momika posted pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian content on social media.
He also frequently demonstrated in Stockholm with an Israeli flag and was photographed setting fire to a Palestinian one. On X, he changed his cover photo to a banner showing the Swedish and Israeli flags.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that Sweden’s security services were involved in the investigation.
There was “obviously a risk that there were links to foreign powers,” SVT quoted him as saying.
In the Netherlands, anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders said the news of Mimika’s suspected murder me him “feel sick.” On X, he added: “I hope the perpetrators of this vicious act will go to jail for life. Terrible news. May he rest in peace.”
