Abdelrahman
A man from New Jersey has been found guilty of attempted murder and assault after he violently attacked renowned British-Indian author Sir Salman Rushdie during a lecture in New York. Hadi Matar, 27, now faces a prison sentence that could exceed 30 years.
The incident occurred in August 2022, resulting in serious injuries for Sir Salman, including liver damage, loss of vision in one eye, and paralysis in one hand due to nerve damage. A jury rendered their verdict after a two-week trial at Chautauqua County Court, situated near the scene of the attack.
In addition to the charges against Rushdie, Matar was also convicted of assaulting Henry Reese, the interviewer who was present on stage and sustained a minor head injury during the incident. Matar’s sentencing is slated for April 23.
This attack unfolded more than 35 years after the publication of Sir Salman’s controversial novel, “The Satanic Verses,” which drew significant backlash from some Muslim communities who deemed its content blasphemous. Following its release in 1988, the book faced bans in several countries and put Sir Salman’s life in jeopardy; he endured numerous death threats and went into hiding for nearly a decade after Iran’s religious leader issued a fatwa against him.
Recently, however, the author noted that he believed the threats had lessened in intensity. During the trial’s concluding arguments, prosecutor Jason Schmidt showcased a slow-motion video of the attack, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the assault, stating, “There were many people present that day, but only one was targeted.”
Throughout the proceedings, defense attorney Andrew Brautigan contended that the prosecution failed to establish Matar’s intent to kill. Matar pleaded not guilty, and his team opted not to present any witnesses, nor did he take the stand in his own defense.
Sir Salman, now 77, recounted his experience of the attack at the historic Chautauqua Institute, describing how he first perceived his assailant’s “dark and ferocious” eyes. He initially thought he had been punched, only to realize he had been stabbed a total of 15 times, with injuries to his eye, cheek, neck, chest, torso, and thigh.
