- Police confirmed a murder investigation but have not officially identified the victim
A man who sparked global outrage by repeatedly burning the Quran in Sweden has been shot dead, media reported on Thursday.
Salwan Momika, a Christian Iraqi, was due to face a court ruling on charges of inciting ethnic hatred but was killed in a shooting in Södertälje, near Stockholm, on Wednesday. Police confirmed a murder investigation but have not officially identified the victim.
Momika’s protests in 2023, including Quran burnings outside mosques, strained Sweden’s ties with Muslim nations and led to violent protests in Iraq. Swedish authorities condemned the desecrations but defended free speech laws.
His death comes months after Sweden’s intelligence service raised the national threat level, warning the country had become a “prioritised target” following the Quran burnings.
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