Salwan Momika: From gun-toting Iraqi militia leader to Quran-burner killed in Sweden

The body of Salwan Momika, who became infamous after burning the Quran in 2023, has been found with multiple bullet wounds. Momika was an Iraqi Christian militia leader who fled to Sweden after a power struggle with the leader of another armed outfit. Though a Christian who turned atheist, Momika behaved like an extreme Ex-Muslim.

Salwan Momika, an Iraqi man known for his controversial acts of burning multiple copies of Islam's holy text, the Quran, has been found dead in Sweden, according to a report from the Associated Press citing a Stockholm court. Momika's body was found with gunshot wounds on January 29, near Stockholm. A former militia leader, Momika had to flee Iraq after a power struggle. Though he was a Christian-turned-atheist, Momika behaved more like an ex-Muslim. He was 38.

At the time of his death, a Stockholm court was scheduled to rule on whether Momika, an Iraqi Christian turned atheist, was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred after his actions during protests in 2023. The court hearing on January 30 was postponed due to Momika’s death.

According to Swedish media reports, Momika was live-streaming on TikTok when he was shot. Reuters accessed a video which showed the police picking up his phone and ending the livestream which appeared to be from Momika's TikTok account.

The rumours of Momika's death had also sprung up in 2024 after he went missing. He emerged days later and blamed the rumours on a plot against him.

Momika's public desecration of the Quran sparked outrage in several Muslim-majority countries, leading to protests and putting significant strain on Sweden’s diplomatic relations with the Muslim countries in the Middle East.

During Eid in June 2023, he stomped on and then set fire to a Quran outside Stockholm’s largest mosque, while a friend filmed the incident. These actions were seen as offensive by Muslims, and this heightened the concerns about Islamophobia.

But who was Salwan Momika?

SALWAN MOMIKA: IRAQI LEADER TO ASYLUM SEEKER

Momika was born into a Christian family in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar. He became involved with the Imam Ali Brigades, a militia group associated with Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces.

The Imam Ali Brigades is an organisation which was founded in 2014, and has been accused of war crimes, according to France24. Several outfits under Popular Mobilization Forces have been brought together by the Iraqi army to fight the Islamic State.

Momika ran his armed group in the outskirts of the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2017.

He had to flee from Iraq in 2018 after a power tussle with Rayan al-Kaldani, the head of Babylon, another Christian militia outfit.

He started seeking asylum, first in Sweden and later in Norway. He was granted a Swedish residency permit in 2021, but his relationship with Swedish authorities grew strained.

A Christian turned atheist, Momika described himself as "a liberal atheist critic and thinker".

He behaved more like an 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 revoked his permit in 2024 after discovering that he had provided false information in his asylum application, although his deportation was put on hold due to concerns for his safety.

Known for his strong anti-Islam views, Momika described the Quran as “the most dangerous book in the world” and expressed a commitment to continue his "struggle against Islamic ideology," no matter the cost.

In one of his posts, he stated, “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.”

Sweden had faced anger for giving refuge to Momika.

Momika’s controversial actions led to violent clashes in Malm¶, Sweden, in September 2023, and prompted protests about the limits of free speech in the country.

Although the Swedish courts upheld his right to protest based on free speech, the incident raised questions about the balance between free expression and respect for religious beliefs.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister referred to his actions as "Islamophobia".

Momika's story is a rare one, beginning in Tal Afar and continuing to the streets of Mosul as a gun-toting militia leader to a refugee and mic-holding Quran-burner in Sweden. And now being found shot dead even as he was battling to stay in Sweden.