Muslim leaders say Qur’an burning in Sweden fuels extremism

 DUBAI: Muslims around the world have joined Saudi Arabia in condemning the burning of a copy of the Qur’an by an Iraqi national outside Stockholm’s largest mosque on Wednesday.

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Under a heavy police presence, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday stomped on the Qur’an before setting several pages alight in front of the mosque in the Sweedish capital.

Police had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections, but said later it had opened an investigation into the Qur’an burning which sparked anger across the Muslim world.

It is not the first time such an act has happened in Sweeden.

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Qur’an near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Momika’s protest was “legal but not appropriate,” and it was up to the police to permit it or not.The incident occurred as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday.The Iraqi government in a statement issued late Wednesday strongly condemned “the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Qur’an by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds.”

“These acts demonstrate a hateful and aggressive spirit that goes against the principles of freedom of expression,” it said.

“They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred.”

“These irresponsible actions, in direct conflict with the values of respect for diversity and the beliefs of others, are unequivocally condemned.”The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Swedish Ambassador to Baghdad, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The ministry condemns “the Swedish government’s permission for extremists to burn a copy of the Holy Qur’an,” the statement said.The Organization of Islamic Cooperation said it would convene an emergency open meeting for the Executive Committee next week in Jeddah to discuss the consequences of the incident, under an invitation from Saudi Arabia, the president of the Islamic Summit.

The meeting next week is scheduled to discuss the measures to be taken against the heinous act and to adapt a collective position on the necessary course of action.The US said it condemned the burning of the Qur’an, adding it believed the demonstration created “an environment of fear” that effectively curbs the ability of Muslims to practice their religion freely.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said: “We believe the demonstration created an environment of fear that will impact the ability of Muslims and members of other religious minority groups from freely exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief in Sweden.”