Dramatic images from Islamic countries have been going around the world for weeks: angry crowds, burning Swedish flags. Who is the man who started these protests?
Salwan Momika is sitting cross-legged in a hotel room south of Stockholm. The 37-year-old Iraqi, whose actions have upset parts of the Islamic world and plunged Sweden into diplomatic difficulties, is deliberately calm.
As a Christian, he was persecuted in his homeland by the terrorist organization Islamic State, among others – which fueled a deep hatred of Islam in him.
He didn’t keep that hate to himself. He set fire to the Koran in front of the Stockholm mosque and played soccer with it in front of the Iraqi embassy.
Sweden fears for safety – Momika has no regrets
Thousands of people took to the streets in Iraq, Iran and Pakistan to protest against these actions. That’s why Sweden now fears massively for the country’s security and is on the verge of raising the terror alert level.
Momika has no regrets. “Why should I?” he says ARD-Interview. “The problem isn’t me, it’s these dictatorial societies, these Islamist societies that a dictator creates.”
right-wing extremists conspiracy theories
Momika speaks calmly, but the bulletproof vest showing beneath his hoodie speaks a different language. He feels threatened, also here in Sweden. There is a bounty on his head, allegedly two million euros.
But he has protectors, he says. He has no job, lives on TikTok donations. The vest is said to have been lying outside his door at some point.
In conversation, Momika spreads far-right conspiracy theories and puts the crimes of the National Socialists into perspective. He claims that Muslims are deliberately immigrating to Europe in order to subjugate the continent. His remarks are reminiscent of the statements of the Frenchman Renaud Camus, who is considered a right-wing extremist mastermind because of his ideology of the “Great Exchange”.
Goal: Ban the Koran
Momika’s goal is for Sweden to ban the Koran. That’s why he set fire to the holy scriptures of Islam again on Monday, this time in front of the Swedish Riksdag. It should be a message to Swedish politicians.
However, they call the Koran burning actions of an individual who has a “weak connection to Sweden”. Momika has been living in the country since 2019, now as a political refugee, he says. According to his own statements, the right-wing provocateur was a member of the Sweden Democrats until last year.
A problem for them Sweden Democrats?
That would be piquant because the right-wing populists have had an indirect stake in the Swedish government since the fall as the majority procurers for the conservative coalition.
When asked, the Sweden Democrats did not want to provide any information about Momika’s connections to the party. But one thing is clear: the Iraqi continues to sympathize with the right. In his opinion, they are the only party that can protect Sweden, he says.
“Burn Korans everywhere in Europe”
As a result of the burning of the Koran, the Swedish police are now investigating Momika for incitement to hatred. His residence permit runs until the beginning of 2024, what will happen to him after that is unclear.
Momika doesn’t worry if Sweden finds a way to reject his case: “Then I’ll apply for asylum in another European country.” He wants to burn Korans all over Europe, he says, and nothing can stop him in Sweden as long as it’s legal.
worry instrumentalization
But surprisingly he stopped his actions planned for the coming weeks and withdrew three requests for demonstrations. In the social medium X – formerly Twitter – he wrote on Tuesday evening: “I took a step back to take ten steps forward.” He doesn’t explain what he means by that.
However, he wants to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin or Turkish head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan from misusing his actions for their own ends.
Because Sweden suspects a targeted dirt campaign by foreign actors behind the crisis. “Russia is using this deeply disrespectful use of the Koran for its own agenda in the Russian-controlled media and channels,” says Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer. “The purpose of the messages is to divide the West, polarize it, spread conspiracy theories, complicate decision-making processes and create disunity in countries you want to influence.”
Respite for the government?
Together with another Iraqi, Momika was single-handedly responsible for the last three Koran desecrations in Stockholm. If he really stops for now, it could give the Swedish government some breathing space to smooth diplomatic waves.
But in the long term Momika wants to continue: “I will demonstrate until the Koran is banned or the government at least listens to us and checks the Koran.”