The Swedish prosecutor’s office announced that five individuals arrested during the preliminary investigation into Momika’s killing were freed after suspicions against them weakened. Momika was shot dead on Wednesday evening in a residential area of Södertälje, a city south of Stockholm.
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The police had initially detained five suspects but later released them due to insufficient evidence.
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Senior Prosecutor Rasmus Oman stated, “Suspicions of the crime have weakened, and I no longer see grounds for keeping them in custody.” However, the prosecutor’s office clarified that the suspects have not been fully cleared, and the investigation into the murder is ongoing.
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According to reports from TV4, Momika was killed during a live broadcast on his TikTok account. A witness who watched the livestream recounted that Momika had stepped onto his balcony to smoke when gunshots were heard. After four more shots, the broadcast continued for 15-20 minutes until police arrived at the scene and ended the stream.
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Momika, an Iraqi immigrant, had gained notoriety for organizing several Quran-burning protests in Sweden, including one on the first day of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday, outside Stockholm’s main mosque.
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The controversial event, held with police permission on June 28, 2023, sparked widespread condemnation. Iraq demanded Momika’s extradition to face trial, and protests erupted near the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. Similar Quran-burning incidents were later reported in Sweden and Denmark.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several of its member states strongly condemned the acts of desecration. In response, Swedish authorities announced plans to review public order laws that permit such protests involving the burning of religious texts.
