Iraq condemns burning Quran in Sweden
Shafaq News / Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed strong condemnation and outrage on Thursday over the Swedish authorities' permission for an extremist to burn a copy of the Holy Quran in a manner that constitutes a grave insult to religious sanctities.
In a press statement, the ministry emphasized that such events have the potential to inflame the feelings of Muslims worldwide and represent a serious provocation to them.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in halting such unacceptable acts and renouncing all forms of hatred, extremism, and holding the perpetrators accountable.
Yesterday, the Iraqi government, through its spokesperson Bassim Al-Awadi, condemned an Iraqi-origin refugee's act of burning a copy of the Quran in Sweden, describing the incident as a "reprehensible act of aggression" and warning against allowing "ignorant extremists to provoke believers and commit their foolishness without deterrents."
A young man tore apart a Quran and set it on fire near the Stockholm Central Mosque on Wednesday, the first day of Eid al-Adha.
Earlier, the Swedish police had announced their approval for organizing a demonstration by an Iraqi young man named Silwan Momika, who intended to burn a copy of the Holy Quran outside the Grand Mosque of Stockholm on the same day as the start of Eid al-Adha. The police stated that "the nature of the security risks associated with burning the Quran does not justify, under current laws, rejecting the request."
The "green light" came two weeks after a Swedish appellate court rejected a police decision to deny permits for two demonstrations in Stockholm where the Quran was planned to be burned.
The refugee from Iraq made statements to the French press, stating, "I want to protest in front of the Grand Mosque in Stockholm and express my opinion about the Quran... I will tear it apart and burn it."
In an interview with the newspaper "Aftonbladet" in April, Momika, who fled to Sweden from Iraq, said that his goal was not to hinder Sweden's efforts to join NATO and that he considered waiting for the country's accession to the alliance before organizing the demonstration.
Momika added, "I do not want to harm this country that welcomed me and preserved my dignity."
On Wednesday, the Swedish police announced that they had requested reinforcements to maintain order.
Sweden's move has sparked anger in Turkey at a time when Sweden is seeking to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Swedish police had previously allowed Rasmus Paludan, a Danish-Swedish activist previously convicted of racism, to organize a demonstration in January. Paludan caused riots in Sweden last year when he toured the country and publicly burned copies of the Quran.
