Salwan Momika, the Iraqi refugee notorious for burning copies of the Quran, was shot dead in his apartment in the Swedish city of Södertälje on Wednesday night. Swedish authorities responded to reports of a shooting in the Hovsjö district, where the 38-year-old was found dead from gunshot wounds, local media outlets, including Aftonbladet, confirmed. The killing was captured on video, with Momika reportedly live-streaming shortly before the shooting occurred.

Police have detained five suspects for questioning in connection with the killing, which is being treated as an execution-style murder. Stockholm police spokesperson Daniel Wikdahl confirmed that the victim was Salwan Momika. The activist had been scheduled to appear before a court in Stockholm on charges of inciting ethnic hatred, but the proceedings were postponed following his death.

Momika, who had gained notoriety in 2023 for burning copies of the Quran in protests against Islam, had sparked widespread anger across the Middle East and Europe. His most infamous act occurred on June 30, when he desecrated a Quran outside Sweden's largest mosque in Stockholm, followed by another act of burning pages outside the Iraqi embassy. These actions were condemned by religious leaders in the Middle East and resulted in protests in several countries, including Iraq and Iran, where demonstrators denounced Sweden and the United States.

Despite the controversy, Swedish police had granted Momika permission for his protests, citing the country's strong protections of free speech and assembly. The Swedish government, while condemning the desecrations, upheld the legality of Momika’s actions.

Momika had fled Iraq to Sweden years earlier, facing multiple legal charges, including accusations of deception. Although Iraq sought his extradition in 2013, Sweden denied the request, citing the lack of a crime in Sweden for burning the Quran.