Sweden 'Quran-burner' Salwan Momika claims police withdrew protection

An Iraqi man who allegedly set fire to a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque has claimed that Swedish police withdrew their protection of him.

Salwan Momika sparked international outrage when he reportedly torched a copy of the Muslim holy book last month.

Now Momika, who said he has received death threats, is claiming that Swedish authorities have pulled police protection for him.

"Today, Swedish police withdrew their protection from me, and they withdrew the safe house in which I was living from me," Momika said in a video posted to TikTok on Tuesday.

"I place responsibility for my safety with the Swedish authorities."

The Swedish Police Authority told The New Arab that it could not confirm or deny whether they had withdrawn protection from Momika due to the risk to his personal safety.

Momika, an Iraqi Christian, reportedly stomped on and set fire to a copy of the Quran in front of the main mosque in Sweden’s capital on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha.

He was granted permission for the protest by Swedish police, although the government later condemned Momika's alleged burning of the Quran.

His act sparked protests worldwide, both in Muslim-majority countries and countries with a sizeable Muslim population.

Momika said in the days after the alleged burning that he had been placed under police protection and moved to a secret location.

Momika was reportedly part of a Christian faction of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iraqi militias backed by Iran.

He reportedly left Iraq in 2017 after disputes with Rayan al-Kildani, leader of the notorious "Babylon" political party, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

He also faces several legal complaints in Iraq, including of deception.  

Iraq has officially asked Sweden to repatriate him so he can be prosecuted according to the Iraqi penal code.