Iraqi man who carried out Koran burnings is found shot dead in Sweden
Salwan Momika, 38, got worldwide publicity and caused anger in Muslim countries when he burned the religion’s holy book.
An Iraqi man who carried out several Koran burnings in Sweden has died, a court in Stockholm said on Thursday.
Swedish media reported that he was killed in a shooting in a nearby city.
Salwan Momika, 38, staged several burnings and desecrations of Islam’s holy book in Sweden.
Videos of the Koran burnings got worldwide publicity and raised anger and criticism in several Muslim nations, leading to riots and unrest in many places.
He was under investigation by Swedish authorities for incitement against ethnic groups in Sweden.
The Stockholm district court said a verdict scheduled for Thursday in a trial in which Mr Momika was a defendant was postponed because one of the defendants had died.
Court documents and the judge in the case, Goran Lundahl, confirmed that the deceased was Mr Momika, Swedish news agency TT reported.
Police said they were alerted to a shooting on Wednesday night in Sodertalje, near Stockholm, and found a man with gunshot wounds. He later died, and a preliminary murder investigation was opened.
Broadcaster SVT reported, without naming sources, that the victim was Mr Momika.
