Sweden has been rocked by the assassination of Salwan Momika, an anti-Islam activist infamous for publicly burning the Quran. Momika was found fatally shot inside his home in what authorities suspect to be a targeted attack carried out by Islamists. According to several reports, Momika was livestreaming on TikTok from his home when the fatal attack was carried out
His controversial actions had sparked outrage across several Muslim-majority nations, with many calling for his prosecution. At the time of his death, Momika was on trial for his acts of Quran desecration, pending sentencing.
A Life Marked by Controversy and Conflict
Momika, originally from the Al-Hamdaniya district of Qaraqosh in Iraq’s Nineveh province, was raised as an Assyrian Catholic. He was deeply involved in Iraq’s turbulent history, initially joining the Assyrian Patriotic Party as a security guard at its Mosul headquarters during the 2006-2008 civil war. As ISIS gained control of Mosul in June 2014, he took up arms against the militant group by joining the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). He was later seen in military attire, pledging allegiance to the Imam Ali Brigades, a faction within the PMF.
Following his military involvement, Momika fled to Germany in 2017 on a Schengen visa, where he publicly renounced Christianity and declared himself an atheist. In April 2018, he sought asylum in Sweden and was registered as an Iraqi refugee. Three years later, in April 2021, Sweden granted him a three-year temporary residence permit, which was set to expire in April 2024.
Despite being granted asylum, Momika faced significant legal challenges. The Swedish Migration Agency decided in 2023 to expel him due to inconsistencies in his asylum application, including his false claims about his past involvement with the Imam Ali Brigades. However, due to credible threats against him in Iraq, the expulsion was halted, and he was instead granted a new temporary residence permit valid until April 2024.
While living in Sweden, Momika sought political engagement. He was photographed alongside Christian Democrat MP Robert Halef and met with Sweden Democrats’ Julia Kronlid. He later expressed a desire to run for the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) as a candidate for the Sweden Democrats, a nationalist party with strong anti-immigration policies.
Target of International Fury
Momika’s notoriety peaked after his repeated desecration of the Quran, a move that angered Muslim-majority nations and led to diplomatic tensions for Sweden. His actions were condemned globally, with protests erupting in multiple countries and calls for his prosecution intensifying. His pending trial in Sweden focused on his inflammatory acts, which had drawn both international outrage and domestic criticism.
Authorities are investigating Momika’s murder as a possible act of retaliation by Islamist extremists. His death comes amid heightened concerns over the safety of individuals engaged in provocative political and religious activism in Europe. Swedish officials have yet to release details on possible suspects, but initial reports suggest that his assassination was likely linked to the threats he had received over the past year.
Manbilas Singh is a talented writer and journalist who focuses on the finer details in every story and values integrity above everything. A self-proclaimed sleuth, he strives to expose the fine print behind seemingly mundane activities and aims to uncover the truth that is hidden from the general public. In his time away from work, he is a music aficionado and a nerd who revels in video & board games, books and Formula 1.
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