The Iraqi government condemned the “irresponsible” and “racist” action of an Iraqi man living in Sweden who burned several pages of a copy of the Koran in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque during a police-sanctioned rally.

The incident, which coincided with the first day of the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha celebrated by Muslims around the world, had already prompted condemnation: Morocco recalled its ambassador, Ankara denounced “anti-Islamic actions” and Washington reminded that “burning religious texts shows a lack of respect and offends”.

Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi who fled the country for Sweden, repeatedly stomped on a copy of the Koran on Wednesday before putting slices of bacon between its pages and burning some pages, according to AFP reporters who were present.

The Iraqi government condemned these acts, which occur “repeatedly” and are carried out by “sick and extremist minds”, according to a statement released last night.

These “irresponsible actions” reflect “a spirit of hatred and hostility that has nothing to do with freedom of expression. They constitute racist acts and incitement to violence and hatred,” the announcement emphasizes.

“This abhorrent act that offended the sentiments of millions of Muslims also hurts the Western peoples themselves, who pride themselves on embracing diversity and respecting each other’s faith and protecting the religions and rights of their believers,” the government also underlines. Baghdad.

“We call on the governments concerned to (…) prevent this fear of extremists from continuing their crimes that can have undesirable consequences,” the Iraqi government also warned in its statement.