Salwan Momika, known for burning Quran in Sweden, shot dead amid legal troubles

World News: Salwan Momika, the Iraqi man notorious for burning the Quran in Sweden, has reportedly been shot dead. The Stockholm district court had postponed the verdict in a case where he was a defendant.

Salwan Momika's Death

Swedish state media reported on Thursday that Salwan Momika succumbed to gunshot wounds after being discovered at his home in Hovsjo, Sodertalje, late Wednesday night. His actions in 2023, which included multiple Quran burnings and desecrations, attracted global attention and sparked outrage across several Muslim nations, leading to riots and unrest.

Controversial Activism

Momika, 38, characterized his protests as being directed against the religion of Islam rather than Muslims themselves. He claimed his objective was to protect the Swedish populace from what he viewed as harmful messages within the Quran. The Swedish Police permitted his protests under the banner of freedom of speech, despite charges being filed against him.

Legal Troubles and Background

In 2023, Momika faced charges of incitement to racial hatred alongside a co-defendant due to comments made regarding his Quran burnings. A verdict was anticipated on Thursday morning. Additionally, the Swedish Migration Agency decided to expel him from the country; however, threats against his life in Iraq halted this process.

He was granted a temporary residence permit valid until April 2024.Hailing from the Al-Hamdaniya district of Qaraqosh in Iraq's Nineveh province, Momika was raised as an Assyrian Catholic. During the civil war from 2006 to 2008, amid persecution from ISIS against Christians, he joined the Assyrian Patriotic Party and served as a security guard at its Mosul headquarters.

Military Involvement and Asylum

Following ISIS's capture of Mosul in June 2014, Momika joined the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to combat the Islamic State. Videos surfaced showing him in military attire as part of a Christian unit, pledging loyalty to the Imam Ali Brigades.In 2017, he fled to Germany with a Schengen visa and publicly renounced Christianity, declaring himself an atheist.

He sought asylum in Sweden in April 2018 and was registered as an Iraqi refugee. By April 2021, he received a three-year temporary residence permit but faced denial for permanent residency due to discrepancies in his asylum application.While residing in Sweden, Momika was seen with prominent political figures such as Christian Democrat MP Robert Halef and expressed interest in running for the Riksdag as a candidate for the Sweden Democrats.