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Man who sparked protests by burning Quran killed in Sweden

A man who sparked protests in 2023 by burning the Quran has been killed in Stockholm.

According to the BBC, Salwan Momika was shot in an apartment in Södertälje, Stockholm, on Wednesday evening.

In 2023, Momika set fire to a copy of the Quran outside Stockholm Central Mosque, in a series of anti-Islam protests, which led to unrest in some Muslim-majority countries. In Baghdad, there was unrest at the Swedish embassy and the Swedish ambassador was expelled.

Since then, Momika, who was himself Iraqi, had been charged with  "agitation against an ethnic group" on four occasions in the summer of 2023. A verdict was due in the case on Thursday, but has now been delayed.

Officers were called to the apartment on Wednesday night, where they found a man with gunshot wounds. He died on Thursday morning.

Stockholm police have said that five people have been arrested after the shooting.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson has said the security services are involved in the investigation due to the risk that foreign powers may be involved.

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