The Stockholm court report as cited by the Associated Press says Salwan Momika, an Iraqi provocateur of the burning of the Holy Quran (belonging to the Islamic holy book), has died in Sweden. His body, with gunshots, was found near to Stockholm on January 29. Momika, a former militia head-turned-asylum-seeker, had escaped Iraq following a political power struggle. If for one thing he, until not long ago, was a Christian and eventually became an atheist not to mention the almost teleological sequential nature of his behaviors and pronouncements that often seem to be those of an ex-Muslim. He was 38 years old.
At the time of his death, a Stockholm court was set to rule on whether Momika was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred following his public desecration of the Quran during protests in 2023. But, his death caused the hearing originally set for 30 January to be rescheduled.
Rumours about Momika’s death had circulated beforehand, most notably in early 2024, right after he had unexpectedly vanished. He later resurfaced, dismissing the rumors as part of a larger conspiracy against him.
His provocative action, especially burning of religion of Islam, engendered tremendous outrage in entire Muslim community. His behaviour led to demonstrations in a number of Muslim-majority countries, putting tension in Sweden’s diplomatic relations with them.
Momika’s Provocative Protests and Global Reaction
One of Momika’s most infamous acts occurred during Eid in June 2023 when he publicly desecrated the Quran outside Stockholm’s largest mosque. He crushed the holy scripture and then set it on fire while filming a friend. This legislation provoked international outrage and exacerbated anxieties around the growth of Islamophobia in Europe.
Momika’s protests led to violent clashes, particularly in Malmö, Sweden, in September 2023. His behavior, however, also triggered discussions on the tight border between free speech and religious consideration. However, while Swedish courts protected his freedom to demonstrate under which law, the Swedish Foreign Minister referred to his behavior as “Islamofobie.
Across social media, the protest reached beyond Mumika’s followers, with Sweden getting criticized for letting him stay in the country instead of facing consequences for his provocative actions. In the end, his residency permit was withdrawn in 2024 because Swedish authorities discovered that the false data had been included in his asylum request. However, his deportation was delayed due to concerns about his safety.
From Iraqi Militia Leader to Exiled Activist
Momika’s journey was anything but conventional. Raised in a Christian household in Tal Afar, northern Iraq, he went on to become associated with the [Imam Ali Brigades], a paramilitary organization, if that is the correct reference relation (which seems likely given that common knowledge is that Salvador Garcia is associated with Iraq’s [PopUlar Mobilization (PM) Force], an array of groups under the control of Iraq’s [PopUlar Mobilization (PM) Force]. The PMF, formed in 2014, played a significant role in fighting the Islamic State but has also faced accusations of war crimes.
By 2017, Momika was chief of his own armed force in the peripheries of Mosul. But that growing power triggered a split with other Christian militias based in the West, Rayan al-Kaldani, who commands Babylon, another Christian militia. This conflict forced Momika to flee Iraq in 2018, marking the beginning of his journey as an asylum seeker.
He first sought refuge in Sweden and later in Norway. Sweden eventually granted him a residency permit in 2021. However, as his anti-Islam activities gained international attention, his relationship with Swedish authorities deteriorated.
Momika’s Anti-Islam Stance and Public Statements
As a self-proclaimed “liberal atheist critic and thinker,” Momika was vocal in his denunciation of Islam. He often claimed the Quran to be “the most dangerous book in the world” and made it clear that his resistance to the Islamic faith was absolute.
In one of his online posts, he wrote:
“I will continue my struggle against Islamic ideology. Ever since I began, I have suffered the cost and still do. I am ready for that, whatever the cost.”
His rhetoric and his provocative public displays made him a very controversial person in Sweden and Iraq.
The End of a Controversial Journey
Momika’s death remains shrouded in mystery. His past as a militia leader, his public Quran desecrations, and his asylum struggles made him a target for many. While there are ongoing investigations into his shooting, there are still open questions on who might have targeted him to be killed.
His life took him from Tal Afar to Mosul’s battlefields, from being a militia leader to a refugee, and finally, to the streets of Sweden as a Quran-burning activist. Now, his journey has come to a violent end, leaving behind a legacy of controversy, protest, and debate on the limits of free speech.
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