STOCKHOLM: An Iraqi man who carried out several Quran burnings in Sweden has been killed in a shooting near Stockholm, authorities said Thursday. Salwan Momika, 38, staged several burnings and desecrations of Islam's holy book in Sweden in 2023. Videos of Quran burnings got worldwide publicity and raised anger and criticism in several Muslim nations, leading to riots and unrest in many places.
The Stockholm district court said a verdict scheduled Thursday in a trial in which Momika was a defendant was postponed because one of the defendants had died. A judge at the court confirmed that the deceased was Momika.
Police said they were alerted to a shooting Wednesday night at an apartment building in Sodertalje, near Stockholm, and found a man with gunshot wounds who later died. Broadcaster SVT reported that the victim was Momika.
Prosecutors said five people were arrested overnight on suspicion of murder. Prosecutor Rasmus Oman said the probe is still in its early stages and that the suspects and others still have to be questioned. Momika came to Sweden from Iraq in 2018 and was granted a 3-year residence permit in 2021.
PM Ulf Kristersson said Sweden's security service was involved because "there is obviously a risk that there is a connection to a foreign power", news agency TT reported.