Lebanese-American convicted of attempting to kill Rushdie

Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old from New Jersey, has been convicted of attempted murder and assault for the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie during a literary event in New York. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before delivering the verdict. Matar faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for April.

The attack occurred in August 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie was about to speak. Matar rushed the stage and stabbed Rushdie approximately 15 times, resulting in severe injuries, including the loss of sight in his right eye, liver damage, and paralysis of his right hand. Rushdie was hospitalized for 17 days following the assault.

During the trial, Rushdie provided detailed testimony about the attack and its aftermath, describing the intense pain and his belief that he was dying. Matar, who pleaded not guilty and rejected a plea deal, expressed no remorse and faces additional federal terrorism-related charges for allegedly supporting Hezbollah.

The motivation for the attack is believed to be linked to a 1989 fatwa issued by Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, calling for Rushdie’s death over his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which was deemed blasphemous by some in the Muslim community. Despite assurances from Iran in 1998 that they no longer supported the fatwa, threats against Rushdie persisted.