Quran-burning provocateur Salwan Momika deported from Norway, handed over to Sweden

By Atilla Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - Salwan Momika, an Iraqi Christian known for publicly burning copies of the Holy Quran, is back in Sweden after rejection of his asylum request in Norway and spending two weeks in prison.

The Swedish Migration Agency had revoked Momika's residency permit, citing false information in his original application. That is when he decided to leave the country.

He left for Norway on March 27, but was arrested and deported back to Sweden this week. Police released him after a brief round of questioning.

Momika told Swedish newspaper Expressen that his temporary residence permit in Sweden expires on April 16 after which he will apply for an extension.

The 37-year-old said he was arrested upon arrival in Norway, had his phone confiscated, and was placed in solitary confinement.

He said that despite assuring authorities he would not burn the Quran in Norway, he was not accepted into the country.

During his time in prison, rumors spread - mainly on social media - that he had been found dead in Norway. Momika said he could not refute the news due to lack of access to a phone or internet.

He was initially granted a residence permit in Sweden in 2021 and has since become known for organizing a series of Quran copy burnings in public places in the Nordic country.

The burning of Quran copies in Sweden and Denmark under the pretext of free speech has sparked outrage in Muslim countries, including attacks on diplomatic missions.

Following large protests in the Muslim world, Denmark passed legislation last December making it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places. Sweden, however, is still considering legal options that would allow police to refuse permits for demonstrations based on national security concerns.