Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man who carried out several Quran burnings in Sweden, was reportedly found dead in Norway. However, official confirmation from the Norwegian authorities has not yet been received. He had recently moved to Norway from Sweden after seeking asylum there.
Momika, a Christian who turned atheist, was amongst the critics of Islam.
Momika moved out of Iraq in 2018, seeking asylum. Though a Christian who turned atheist, Momika called himself an extreme Ex-Muslim.
“Ex-Muslims are individuals who identified as Muslims once, left the religion due to personal reasons, differing beliefs, or disillusionment with its teachings, practices, or community norms.”
Sweden had faced the anger of Islamic countries for hosting Salwan Momika, a known and vociferous critic of Islam.
He called the Quran, the holy book of the Muslims, the “most dangerous book of the world”.
Report’s of Salwan’s death
Radio Genoa on April 2 reported that Salwan Momika had been found dead, only to inform some moments later that further confirmation was awaited.
“Those who announced Momika’s death with over 1 million impressions deleted the tweet. We are waiting for further confirmation,” Radio Genoa posted on X.
Earlier it said: “The lifeless body of Iraqi refugee and Islamic critic Salwan Sabah Matti Momika has been found in Norway. Momika was known for organizing demonstrations in Sweden where he publicly burned the Koran several times.”
Momika had last week took to X to inform that he has left Sweden and shifted to Norway under the protection of the Norwegian authorities. “I applied for asylum and international protection in Norway because Sweden does not accept asylum for philosophers and thinkers, but only accepts asylum for terrorists. My love and respect for the Swedish people will remain the same, but the persecution I was subjected to by the Swedish authorities does not represent the Swedes,” he had posted on X on March 27.
Today I left Sweden and am now in Norway under the protection of the Norwegian authorities.
I applied for asylum and international protection in Norway because Sweden does not accept asylum for philosophers and thinkers, but only accepts asylum for terrorists. My love and… pic.twitter.com/tbg883NqKc
— Salwan momika (@salwan_momika1) March 27, 2024
“I will continue my struggle against Islamic ideology. Since I started the struggle against Islam, I have paid and continue to pay the price, and I am ready for that, whatever the cost,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that a Norwegian media house called Document in a report refuted claims of Salwan’s death. The report quotes Police’s Immigration Unit (PIU) stating it has no idea of any person’s death so far.
The report further mentions, Oslo Police confirmed that they have received several inquiries about the case, but say that the information is not correct.
A person in his position attracts attention and has an increased risk. When the rumor started that he had been found dead in Norway, it was difficult to stop.
However, no official statement has been made by the officials in this case so far, except this report.
Burning Quran
Sweden withdrew Momika’s residence permit but put his deportation on hold, saying his life would be in danger if he were returned to Iraq, as per AP report.
Clashes broke out in Malmo, Sweden’s third-largest city, in September last year after an angry mob tried to prevent Momika from burning a copy of the Quran.
Sweden allowed his protests on the aegis of free speech. But questions were asked if the Swedish authorities had gone too far by allowing Momkia to burn the Quran.
Swedish police, however, filed preliminary hate speech charges against him.
“Sweden’s Migration Agency decided to revoke Momika’s residence permit after finding out that the Iraqi asylum-seeker had provided false information in his application for asylum.”
“Unlike other religions, apostasy (leaving the faith) is punishable by death in Islam. Those who renounce Islam mostly don’t reveal their decision, fearing attacks.”
His anti-Islam stance and burning of the Quran were also perceived as a security threat to Sweden. Officials thought his actions could make the European nation a target of Islamist terrorists.
Last October, two Swedish soccer fans were killed before a match in Brussels, Belgium. “The gunman specifically targeted Swedes,” said Sweden’s prime minister, according to an Associated Press report.
“The gunman was shot dead by police after a manhunt. Belgian authorities said the attacker had posted a video online after the attack in which he said the Quran was ‘a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself’.”
Who was Salwan Momika?
Salwan Momika, aged 37, arrived in Sweden in April 2018 as an Iraqi refugee and was granted refugee status by April 2021. He has orchestrated numerous burnings and desecrations of Islam’s sacred book in Sweden over recent years. Swedish authorities were investigating him for incitement against ethnic groups within the country.
A former militia leader in Iraq, Momika had ties to the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a pro-Iranian group. On his Facebook page, he identifies himself as an atheist and enlightened politician, thinker, and author. Videos of his provocative Quran burnings drew global condemnation and ignited outrage in multiple Muslim nations, inciting riots and protests across various countries.
Reports from Swedish media indicate that Momika was awarded a residence permit in 2021. However, Sweden’s migration authorities revoked this permit in October of the same year, citing misinformation on his application, with plans for deportation to Iraq. Nonetheless, his deportation was delayed due to security concerns, as Momika argued his life would be at risk in his homeland.
In June of the previous year, Salwan Momika set Quran pages ablaze outside a Stockholm mosque on Bakri Eid, prompting significant protests. He furthered his provocative actions by placing a strip of bacon on the holy book and stomping on it while chanting “Allah Akbar” mockingly. In July of that year, he staged another protest in Stockholm outside Iraq’s embassy, stomping and kicking a copy of the Muslim holy book, citing his protest against Islam and advocacy for freedom of speech as his motives.
In July 2023, Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador in response to the Quran burning incident in Stockholm. The expulsion followed protests, incited by Salwan Momika, which resulted in the storming of the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad.
