Quran Desecrator Salwan Momika Shot Dead in Sweden

By Staff, Agencies

Salwan Momika, infamous for burning a copy of the Quran in Sweden in 2023, has been shot dead, according to reports from AFP on Thursday.

Momika, an Iraqi Christian, had sparked outrage in the Muslim world with his deliberate desecration of the holy Quran during protests, an act that resulted in widespread condemnation from Muslim-majority nations and severely strained Sweden’s relations with countries in the Middle East.

In a court case related to his actions, which had been scheduled to rule on whether Momika was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred, the ruling was postponed upon confirmation of his death.

Prosecutors had charged both Momika and another individual, Salwan Najem, with "agitation against an ethnic or national group" after the two men repeatedly burned the Quran and made derogatory statements against Muslims on multiple occasions.

One such act took place outside a mosque in Stockholm, where Momika stepped on a Quran and set it ablaze in a disturbing display of contempt for Islam and its followers.

Momika had declared that his intent was to protest Islam as a religion and called for the Quran to be banned. His actions were seen as a blatant attack on Islamic sanctities and a deliberate effort to incite hatred and division.

The Swedish government, in response to his provocations, heightened security measures and had even moved to deport him, although this order was not enforced due to concerns over the risk of torture he might face upon return to Iraq.

Born in Iraq, Momika had a history tied to militias and violence. He once claimed leadership of a Christian militia involved in the brutal conflict against the Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for “ISIS” / “ISIL”] in Iraq, and his group's involvement in war crimes had been well-documented. Despite his violent past, his actions in Sweden, aimed at humiliating and desecrating the sacred symbols of Islam, are what led to his notoriety.

The desecration of the Quran by individuals like Momika highlights the ongoing challenge of protecting religious sanctities and the deep harm caused by such actions, which go beyond free speech to undermine the dignity and rights of billions of Muslims worldwide. His actions and the subsequent unrest only serve to fuel further division, intolerance and hate.