Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee known for burning the Quran, was shot dead in his apartment in the Swedish city of Sodertalje on Wednesday evening, local media reported.
According to local media, Swedish authorities arrived at the scene after receiving information about a shooting in the Hovsjo neighborhood.
The killing was allegedly caught on video because the activist allegedly live-streamed the incident just moments before the shooting, Aftonbladet reported.
“A man was found shot to death in a house in Hovsjo, Sodertalje, on Wednesday evening. He has been identified as 38-year-old Salwan Momika, who has died from gunshot wounds,” Swedish state broadcaster SVT reported.
Stockholm police spokesman Daniel Wikdahl said five suspects had been taken into police custody for questioning in connection with the brutal “execution.”
The 38-year-old former Iraqi militia leader was due to appear in court in Stockholm today on charges of inciting ethnic hatred.
Momika, from the Al-Hamdaniya district, east of Mosul, trampled on an Islamic holy book and set fire to several pages outside the largest mosque in the Swedish capital on June 30.
He caused widespread outrage after standing outside a mosque in Stockholm and desecrating the religious book, and another time outside the Iraqi embassy.
Momika received death threats after burning copies of the Quran twice in 2023 in protest against Islam. Religious leaders across the Middle East and Europe condemned the acts, and popular protests were held across Iraq at the time.
Despite the outrage, Swedish police granted him permission to act in accordance with the country’s free speech protections. He fled to Sweden several years ago after being charged with several charges, including fraud.
