VIDEO: Quran-burner Salwan Momika shot dead in Sweden

Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man known for staging Quran-burning displays in Sweden in 2023, was shot dead in Stockholm on Wednesday, Swedish authorities confirmed.

A spokesperson for Sweden’s prosecutor’s office told CNN that Momika was fatally shot in the capital, while Stockholm police reported five arrests on suspicion of murder.

Local media reported that Momika was livestreaming on social media at the time of the shooting.

He was scheduled to receive a verdict on Thursday in a trial where he faced charges of incitement to racial hatred, but the sentencing has now been postponed.

Momika moved to Sweden from Iraq in 2018 and later staged multiple anti-Islam protests, sparking outrage in numerous Muslim-majority countries. Twice, unrest erupted at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, leading to the expulsion of Sweden’s ambassador amid diplomatic tensions.

Swedish authorities initially denied Momika a permit for his demonstrations, but Stockholm’s Court of Appeals overturned the decision, citing freedom of speech.

Defending his actions, Momika previously argued that the Quran should be banned, claiming it posed a threat to democracy, human rights, and women’s rights.

The Swedish government later pledged to explore legal measures to restrict protests involving the burning of religious texts under certain conditions.

A murder investigation has been launched, with Swedish security services also involved due to concerns over possible foreign involvement, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press briefing.