During livestream

Koran-burner Momika shot dead in Sweden

The crime scene in Södertälje, southwest of Stockholm, where Salwan Momika (right) was shot dead.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/AFP/TT NEWS AGENCY/Stefan JERREVANG, AFP/TT News Agency/TT/Johan Nilsson)

The Iraqi Salwan Momika had burned a Koran several times in Sweden, making headlines and causing resentment. Now the 38-year-old has been shot dead near Stockholm: The crime was broadcast live on Tiktok. The police are investigating the murder.

Momika was supposed to appear in court on Thursday, but the date has been postponed to February 3 "because Salwan Momika is dead", the authorities were quoted as saying by local media. The exiled Iraqi was shot dead in the Stockholm suburb of Södertalje on Wednesday evening. His body was discovered in his apartment on Thursday night.

Koran desecrated: Wiping shoes and playing soccer
Momika and another Christian Iraqi exile, Salwan Najem, had been charged with "agitation against an ethnic group". The two had burned copies of the Koran and desecrated them. They played soccer with the holy book, wiped their shoes with it and put pork in it. This angered many Muslims: during a protest in Baghdad, the Swedish embassy was stormed. Even the country's accession to NATO was delayed because of the incidents. 

Investigators at the scene of the crime in Salwan NajemSödertalje(Bild: APA/AFP)

Iraqi exile killed during livestream
Particularly dramatic: Momika is said to have been broadcasting a livestream on TikTok when he was attacked. The newspaper "Aftonbladet" reported on a video in which a police officer shows the recording on a cell phone and immediately stops the clip again.

Co-defendant fears for his life
The verdict in the sedition trial was to be handed down on Thursday. Co-defendant Najem confirmed the death of his colleague to the daily newspaper "Svenska Dagbladet": "I'm afraid it's my turn next," he said.

The public prosecutor's office said that five people had already been arrested on suspicion of murder, but gave no further details about their identities.