The building in Sweden, where the shooting of Koran burner Salwan Momika took place, is pictured on January 30, 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP)
Stockholm: A man who repeatedly burnt the Koran in 2023 in Sweden, sparking outrage in Muslim countries, has been shot dead south of Stockholm, investigators said Thursday, adding that five people had been arrested.
Prosecutor Rasmus Oman confirmed to AFP that an investigation had been opened into the murder of 38-year-old Salwan Momika.
"We're in the very early stages ... there's a lot of information gathering. Five people have been detained suspected of involvement in the crime," he said.
A Stockholm court had been due to rule Thursday whether Momika, a Christian Iraqi, was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred but said it had postponed its ruling until February 3 as a result of his death.
Police responded late Wednesday to a call about a shooting in an apartment building in the city of Sodertalje, where Momika lived.
They found a man who had been "hit by shots and the man was taken to hospital", a police statement said, adding that he later died.
Several media outlets reported that the shooting may have been broadcast live on social media.
Tabloid Aftonbladet said the attacker was able to gain entry into the building through the roof.
Momika had lived in Sweden since 2018.
