iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
A jury in western New York found Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old from New Jersey, guilty of attempted murder in the stabbing of Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie, according to The New York Times.
The verdict followed testimony from Rushdie, who described being struck by his assailant’s “dark, ferocious eyes”.
Initially, Rushdie believed he was being punched, but soon realized he was bleeding heavily. The attack took place on August 12, 2022, during a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, where Matar, disguised in dark clothing and a face mask, stormed the stage and repeatedly stabbed Rushdie.
Matar was also convicted of assault for injuring Ralph Henry Reese, who co-founded a program that helps writers in need of refuge. Matar is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23 and faces up to 32 years in prison, along with federal terrorism-related charges.
Rushdie sustained multiple injuries, including three stab wounds to his neck, four to his stomach, and damage to his right eye, leaving him permanently blind in that eye. The attack also severed nerves in his arm and affected the use of one hand. Rushdie was rushed to a nearby hospital for surgery.
After the attack, Matar expressed admiration for Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death over his 1988 novel The Satanic Verses. Matar admitted he had only read a few pages of the book but stated his respect for Khomeini, noting that he did not expect Rushdie to survive the attack.
Rushdie had long lived under death threats after The Satanic Verses angered many Muslims, and Khomeini’s fatwa forced him to live under British protection for years.
