Controversial Quran-Burner Salwan Momika Found Dead in Norway

Reports of the death of Salwan Momika, the Iraqi refugee infamous for desecrating copies of the Qur'an, have stirred controversy once again. According to a post on social media by Radio Genoa, the 37-year-old anti-Islam activist was discovered dead in Norway, where he had recently relocated from Sweden.

However, despite the initial announcement, uncertainties loomed over the validity of the report. The post that garnered over 1 million impressions later mysteriously disappeared, leaving the confirmation of Momika’s demise pending.

In a series of widely condemned events back in June 2023, Salwan Momika sparked international outrage by publicly trampling and burning pages of the Qur’an in the vicinity of Stockholm’s primary mosque. His sacrilegious act, executed under the protection of Swedish authorities, coincided with the commencement of Eid al-Adha and the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Following the incident in Stockholm, a massive global wave of Muslim opposition erupted, with millions taking to the streets worldwide to denounce the offensive act against their religious text. Sweden has repeatedly been criticized for permitting such provocative demonstrations, including another instance of Quran burning near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm by a Swedish-Danish extremist.

Salwan Momika’s journey from Iraq to seeking asylum in Sweden in 2018, to his subsequent relocation to Norway, marks a tumultuous chapter in his life. Neither the Norwegian authorities nor a far-right website, Document, have issued an official statement clarifying Momika’s alleged demise, marking a continuation of the controversy surrounding his actions.