The fatal shooting of 38-year-old Iraqi Christian refugee Salwan Momika in Sweden has sparked speculation of foreign involvement, with Stockholm officials suggesting an external power may be behind the attack.
Momika, known for burning the Quran in high-profile protests, was gunned down in Södertälje on Wednesday while livestreaming on social media.
His killing comes amid a surge in gang violence across Sweden, something foreign actors have allegedly exploited to target perceived enemies. Five suspects have been arrested, and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged on Thursday, “There is obviously a risk that there is a connection to a foreign power.”
Iran stands out as a likely suspect, according to Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. He pointed to a 2023 statement from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who declared that Momika deserved the “severest punishment” for burning the Quran. Khamenei also warned Sweden that supporting Momika amounted to a “war stance against the Islamic world” and would provoke widespread Muslim hostility.
Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch condemned the attack, noting that it occurred “just hours before his sentence was to be announced.” She called it “a threat to our free democracy” that must be met with the “full force of society.”
Ironically, Momika had been on trial for “agitation against an ethnic or national group,” raising questions about Sweden’s commitment to free expression. His death has been celebrated by some Muslims in Europe. Dutch blogger Younes Ouaali gloated, “He will never be able to burn a Quran again.” In the UK, talk show commentator Bushra Shaikh remarked that Quran burners “should face consequences.” Later, she clarified, “I’m neither sad nor happy that Salwan Momika is dead. I don’t care.”
Writer Andrew Devine weighed in, arguing that neither violent retaliation nor legal punishment for Quran burning aligns with Western liberal democracy. As Sweden investigates the attack, questions remain about whether Momika’s killing was an act of local violence—or something far more sinister.
