Sat Feb 01 00:29:02 IST 2025: ## Iraqi Refugee Killed in Sweden After Controversial Koran Burnings
**Stockholm, Sweden** – Salwan Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee who sparked international outrage with his public Koran burnings in Sweden, was shot dead late Wednesday. Momika’s actions, which included stomping on the Islamic holy book, wrapping it in bacon, and setting pages alight, led to widespread condemnation and diplomatic fallout.
His protests, often conducted alongside another individual, Salwan Najem, took place throughout the summer of 2023, including one outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm. These demonstrations, permitted under Sweden’s freedom of speech laws, prompted Iraq to expel Sweden’s ambassador and revoke the license of telecom firm Ericsson.
Momika, who had a complex past including involvement with a Christian armed faction in Iraq and participation in anti-corruption protests, claimed his actions were intended to highlight what he perceived as the dangers of the Koran. Despite expressing a desire not to harm Sweden, his protests caused significant diplomatic tensions, including the storming of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad by Iraqi protesters.
Facing multiple death threats and a court case for agitation against an ethnic group, Momika had sought asylum in Norway earlier this year, but was deported back to Sweden. Although he had police protection during some appearances, his lawyer confirmed he lacked protection at home and that there was a “price on his head.” Charges against him were dropped the day after his death.
Momika’s death comes as a stark conclusion to a highly controversial chapter in Swedish-Iraqi relations and highlights the global impact of his actions. The circumstances surrounding his killing are currently under investigation.
First Piper 