Baghdad urges Sweden to extradite Iraqi man who 'burned Quran'

Iraq on Thursday called on Sweden to extradite an Iraqi man who reportedly burned the Quran outside a Stockholm mosque this week.

The head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zidan, ordered the return of Salwan Momika, said to be from Iraq, so he can be tried in accordance with Iraqi law, local media reports said.

The move came days after Momika, said to be from Iraq, reportedly stomped on the Islamic holy book and set several pages alight in front of the Swedish capital's largest mosque on Tuesday.

Iraq's foreign ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador over the burning, according to a statement shared on Twitter.

The ministry condemned "the Swedish government's permission for extremists to burn a copy of the Holy Quran", the statement said.

المُتحدث باسم وزارة الخارجيَّة
د. أحمد الصحاف:

وزارة الخارجيَّة العراقيَّة تستدعي السفيرة السويديَّة لدى العراق، وتبلغها احتجاج العراق الشديد على سماح الحكومة السويديَّة لمتطرفين بإحراق نسخة من المصحف الشريف في العاصمة ستوكهولم يوم أمس الأربعاء، pic.twitter.com/lO5wCo5JbA

— وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) June 29, 2023

Leader of Iraq's Sadr Movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, called on his supporters on Wednesday to participate in a "massive angry" demonstration against the Swedish embassy in the capital, Baghdad.

He demanded that the federal government expel the Swedish chargé d'affaires in protest, according to a statement shared on his official Twitter page.

Sadr also called for the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador, who "represents a state hostile to Islam and its sanctities and supports indecency".

Shortly after, Iraqi protesters breached Sweden's embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, staying inside the compound for about 15 minutes before leaving as security forces were deployed.

Protesters sprayed "Yes, yes to the Quran" on the compound's gates, according to local reports.

Momika told Swedish media on Thursday that he intended to burn another Quran within 10 days.