Momika's murder sparks criticism of Islamic immigration in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe

The murder of Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee critical of Islam who fled to Sweden and famously burned the Quran publicly on several occasions, has sparked outrage in the country and among political personalities, activists and internet users, who pointed at the massive entry of immigrants from Muslim countries to various countries in Europe and expressed their forceful defense of freedom of expression.

Dutch MP Geert Wilders expressed, "Whether we like it or not one should be allowed to burn the Quran and one definitely should not be killed because of it."

Momika argued that his protest was not directed against Muslims, but against the Islamic religion, and claimed that his intention was to protect the Swedish population from the messages contained in the Quran.

Momika's actions generated a series of protests in the Muslim world against him and Sweden. In fact, in July 2023, in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, a violent mob burst into the Swedish embassy and set it on fire.

In 2023, due to increasing Islamist threats, Sweden raised its terrorist alert level and warned its citizens about possible attacks both inside and outside Swedish territory.

Months after the first Quran burning, a terrorist from the organization Islamic State murdered two Swedish soccer fans in Brussels, Belgium, who had traveled to watch a match of their country's national team.

Sweden's problem with Islamic immigration

The massive immigration of Muslims to Sweden, which has been going on for decades as part of the Scandinavian country's multicultural policies, has generated a cultural and political challenge for Swedish citizens, and particularly for the country's Jewish community.

In an article published in Israel's Maariv newspaper in 2024, Israeli journalist David Ben Basat argued that the refugees took advantage of the open doors of the Swedish authorities to arrive in the country and transformed the demographic composition of Sweden.

Currently, approximately 10% of the Swedish population is Muslim.

Ben Basat emphasized Malmö, a port city of some 350,000 inhabitants, which has radically changed its identity. From being a cosmopolitan and multicultural metropolis, it became a place where about 50% of residents are not of Swedish origin, with a large proportion of Muslims.

Mayor Katrin Jammeh still believes in multiculturalism, but her critics argue that immigrants are gaining control over the city, generating social gaps and conflicts with the local population.

The growing Muslim presence has caused social tensions and led many Swedes to leave Malmö for other cities, the Israeli journalist said.

The city is dominated by organized criminal gangs, making life impossible for many residents. Muslims harass white Jews and non-Jews in the city, the reporter noted. Members of the Jewish community often hide their identity out of fear, he added.

Ben Basat further claimed that Swedish-Palestinian organizations, which receive government support, have channeled humanitarian funds to institutions linked to the radical Islamist organization Muslim Brothers, which is accused of supporting various terrorist organizations.

There have also been allegations that the Swedish Left Party has, through Danish organizations, financed entities that support jihad.

Because of this complex situation, by the end of 2024, the Swedish government was considering offering payments of up to $34,000 to migrants who leave the country, according to a report by the AFP agency.

Are they refugees?

In 2022, a Novus survey found that 79% of refugees living in Sweden had spent their vacations in the country they fled, although almost none wished to return permanently, which would call into question the refugee status of the many migrants.