Stockholm, January 30, 2025: Swedish authorities have arrested five individuals in connection with the fatal shooting of Salwan Momika, an Iraqi anti-Islam activist, as Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson voiced concerns about potential foreign involvement in the killing.
Momika, 38, an Iraqi refugee known for burning copies of the Quran in public and on social media, was shot dead on Wednesday in a house in Södertälje, near Stockholm—just hours before a court was set to deliver a verdict in his trial for “agitation against an ethnic or national group.”
Swedish police confirmed that the five suspects have been detained but did not specify whether the gunman was among them. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Security Service is assessing the potential impact of the killing on national security.
“I can assure you that the security services are deeply involved because there is a risk that this incident is connected to a foreign power,” Prime Minister Kristersson stated at a press conference.
Momika’s Quran burnings in 2023 triggered international outrage, particularly in Muslim-majority countries, and led to heightened threats from jihadist groups. In response, Sweden raised its terror alert to the second-highest level and warned of increased threats against Swedish citizens at home and abroad.
While the Swedish government condemned the Quran desecrations, it maintained that such acts are protected under free speech laws.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously called for the “severest punishment” for those who desecrate the Quran, accusing Sweden of waging a war against Islam by allowing such acts.
Sweden’s Migration Agency had sought to deport Momika in 2023 after discovering that he had provided false information in his asylum application. However, deportation was blocked due to concerns that he would face torture or inhumane treatment in Iraq.
The investigation into Momika’s murder remains ongoing as authorities examine potential international links to the attack.
