Five people were arrested for death by Iraqi Salwan Momika, an activist who burned several editions of Quran in 2023, starting a diplomatic conflict between Sweden and several Islamic countries. The case happened on Wednesday night (29) at his home, south of Stockholm, during a live on Tiktok.
“About Momika’s death, I can confirm that five people were arrested and that a preliminary investigation was opened,” National Police chief Petra Lundh was opened at a government -conveyed press conference.
Lundh refused to give more details or reveal whether Momika, 38, had police protection. The Iraqi author was shot at his home in Södertälje while making a live broadcast on the Chinese social network Tiktok, according to various Swedish media, including SVT public broadcaster.
“It is too early to say if there is any connection with a foreign country, it will depend on what the police and intelligence services are completed,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said, although he has admitted that there is a “risk” of That this happens.
The Stockholm District Court had announced hours before the announcement of the sentence in the case where Momika and a colleague were accused of incitement to hatred due to the burning of the Quran, scheduled for this Thursday (30), had been postponed to 3 February, due to the murder.
Momika won the Swedish press headlines when she burned a Quran in front of Stockholm’s main mosque and, later, the Iraqi embassy and Parliament, actions that had repercussions on the Islamic world and generated diplomatic protests, riots and threats of economic boycott.
Violations of the Holy Book of Muslims were also one of the reasons given by Türkiye to delay the parliamentary ratification of Sweden’s adhesion to NATA.
Kristersson even said that Sweden was in the “worst” security situation since World War II (1939-45).
In October 2023, Swedish immigration authorities decided not to extend Momika’s residence permission, an Iraqi refugee who justified his actions for his opposition to Islam, allegedly providing incorrect information about his need for protection.
However, Momika received a new provisional authorization from Sweden, as his deportation for Iraq could not be executed for security reasons.
The other defendant in the case, Salwan Najem (who has Swedish citizenship), told SVT that he was interrogated by police and received death threats.