Swedish media outlets, including SVT, Aftonbladet, and Expressen, reported that Selwan Momika, the Iraqi refugee known for burning copies of the Quran in Sweden, was shot dead Wednesday evening in an apartment in Södertälje. While police have not officially confirmed the victim's identity, multiple sources have identified him as 38-year-old Momika.
Momika was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday at 11 a.m. in a case relating to four Quran burnings in 2023, but the hearing was cancelled after his death was officially announced.
Details of the incident and arrests
According to the newspaper Aftonbladet, the shooting occurred during a live broadcast on TikTok, but the number of viewers watching the incident is unknown. Police received a report of the shooting at 11 p.m., where a man in his forties was found with gunshot wounds inside an apartment in the Höfsjö district of Södertälje. He was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
In a swift development, Swedish prosecutor Rasmus Öhman confirmed that five people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. Authorities have not yet revealed the motive for the crime or the detainees' connection to Momika. Media reports also indicate that the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) may be involved in the investigation.
Reactions and repercussions
أثار مقتل موميكا ردود فعل متباينة، حيث وصف الناشط السياسي راسموس بالودان، المعروف أيضًا بحرق المصاحف، الحادث بأنه “عار على الديمقراطية”، مشددًا على أن حرية التعبير يجب أن تكون محمية في السويد.
وفي منشور على منصة X (تويتر سابقًا)، كتب سلوان نجم، الذي شارك موميكا في بعض أنشطته، تعليقًا مثيرًا للجدل: “أنا التالي.”
Background and previous positions of Mumika
Momika, who arrived in Sweden from Iraq in 2018, was granted a three-year temporary residence permit in 2021, which was later extended due to concerns for his safety should he be returned to Iraq. He was a controversial figure, having sparked a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and several Muslim-majority countries after burning a copy of the Quran in front of the Swedish parliament in 2023, an act that impacted Sweden's NATO accession negotiations.
Outstanding questions
Many questions remain unanswered, including: the motive behind the crime, whether it was related to his controversial positions, the identity of the five detainees and the extent of their involvement in the crime, and whether Swedish authorities had received previous threats against Momika.
Swedish investigators continue to analyze evidence, including live stream content that captured the moment of the shooting, while the public awaits further details on the case, which has attracted widespread interest both within and outside Sweden.
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