Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee who gained attention for burning the Quran during anti-Islam protests in Sweden last year, was shot dead just hours before a court was due to deliver a ruling on his actions.

Police reported on Thursday that they had arrested five individuals in connection with the 38-year-old’s murder, which took place in a house in Sodertalje, near Stockholm. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson suggested that the shooting may be linked to foreign powers, stressing the involvement of security services in the investigation.

Vice Prime Minister Ebba Busch condemned the killing, calling it a threat to Sweden’s democracy and asserting that it must be met with the full strength of society.

The Stockholm District Court had been scheduled to decide on whether Momika and his co-defendant, Salwan Najem, were guilty of inciting hatred against an ethnic or national group. Following Momika’s death, the court postponed its verdict until February 3.

The two men were accused of desecrating the Quran and making offensive remarks about Muslims, including an incident outside a mosque in Stockholm.