Watan-A Swedish prosecutor announced on Friday the release of five suspects who had been detained in connection with the murder of anti-Islam activist Salwan Momika, who was shot dead at his home in the town of Södertälje, near Stockholm.
Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee, gained notoriety for publicly burning copies of the Quran on multiple occasions, sparking widespread controversy.
On Thursday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that the crime may be linked to a foreign state, but did not provide further details.
Initially, police arrested five suspects, but as the investigation progressed, the evidence against them weakened, according to Chief Prosecutor Rasmus Öman, who made the announcement in a Friday statement. However, the suspects remain under further investigation.
Momika had previously appeared in Swedish court after publicly burning and desecrating copies of the Quran, which is sacred to Muslims, in live-streamed broadcasts on social media. A verdict in his case was expected just hours before his murder.
In 2023, Sweden raised its terror alert level to the second-highest, warning of threats against Swedes at home and abroad, fueled by the Quran burnings—particularly those led by Momika, which provoked outrage in the Muslim world.
Swedish police discovered Momika‘s body on Wednesday night in his apartment. According to media reports, he was live-streaming on social media at the time of the attack.
An unidentified assailant reportedly broke into his room by smashing a window and shot him, causing his phone to fall to the ground while the broadcast continued for an hour, until police arrived and ended it.
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