Koran Burner Salwan Momika Shot Dead in Södertälje, Sweden

SÖDERTÄLJE, Sweden — A 38-year-old man was found shot dead in a residential area of Hovsjö, Södertälje, late Wednesday night, according to local authorities. The victim has been identified as Salwan Momika, a controversial figure known for publicly burning copies of the Quran in Sweden.

Police and ambulance services were called to the scene shortly after 11 p.m. following reports of gunfire. Upon arrival, officers discovered Momika with gunshot wounds in an apartment. He was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. “A man in his 40s was found shot in an apartment and taken to the hospital,” said Daniel Wikdahl, a spokesperson for the Stockholm Regional Police, in a statement to SVT Nyheter.

Momika, an Iraqi citizen who arrived in Sweden in 2018, gained notoriety in 2023 for organizing multiple Quran burnings during Sweden’s NATO accession process. His actions sparked widespread protests and diplomatic tensions, including the storming of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad and the severing of diplomatic ties by Iraq.

Momika and his associate, Salwan Najem, were set to receive a verdict on Thursday in a case involving incitement against an ethnic group. However, the Stockholm District Court postponed the ruling, citing Momika’s death. “Since it has been confirmed that one of the defendants has died, the verdict must be adjusted as it is not possible to convict a deceased person,” the court stated on its website.

Police have launched a murder investigation and are examining reports that the shooting was live-streamed on social media. “This is information that has come to us and that we will investigate,” said Nadya Norton, another police spokesperson. One person has been taken in for questioning, though authorities have not confirmed if they are a suspect.

Momika’s Quran burnings, which included wrapping the religious text in pork and kicking it on the ground, drew condemnation from both domestic and international audiences. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the Swedish government of waging war against the Muslim world in response to the incidents.

Momika’s temporary residence permit in Sweden was renewed in May 2024 after he was deported from Norway, where he had attempted to seek asylum. His death marks a dramatic end to a life that was deeply intertwined with Sweden’s ongoing debates over freedom of expression and religious tolerance.