Racist Attack Targets Mosque in Sweden, Quran Found Desecrated

(MENAFN) A disturbing act of religious hatred has struck Sweden's capital, where authorities are investigating after a desecrated Quran—riddled with six gunshot wounds—was discovered secured to the entrance of Stockholm's central mosque.

The discovery was made Sunday morning outside the house of worship, sending shockwaves through Sweden's Muslim population amid what community leaders describe as an escalating wave of anti-Islamic violence.

Mahmud al-Halefi, chairman of the Stockholm Mosque, told media that the defiled Islamic holy text was deliberately positioned at the building's stairway entrance, marking the latest in what he characterizes as a dangerous surge of Islamophobic incidents nationwide.

In his statement condemning the vandalism, Halefi revealed the disturbing details: "A copy of the Quran was chained to the railing next to the stairs leading to the mosque, and it had six bullet holes. There were also messages written in Arabic and Swedish on the Quran saying, 'Thanks for the visit, but it's time to go home.' We perceived this message as an explicit racist statement targeting Muslims."

Swedish law enforcement has opened a formal investigation into the incident, which mosque administrators have classified as a hate crime with clear racist motivations.

Halefi emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning that such attacks represent a growing threat to religious minorities across Sweden. He issued an urgent appeal for government intervention, demanding concrete action to combat hate crimes and protect vulnerable faith communities from escalating hostility.

The incident adds to mounting concerns about rising intolerance toward Muslim populations throughout Scandinavia.

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