A jury found Hadi Matar guilty of federal terrorism charges on Wednesday for his role in the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie. Matar faced multiple charges, including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism.
Hadi Matar, 28, is already serving a 25-year sentence in New York for attempted murder related to the August 2022 attack. This federal conviction adds the possibility of a life sentence.
Stabbing Details
Salman Rushdie was about to give a talk on writer safety when he was attacked. He was stabbed 15 times, resulting in severe injuries, including the loss of sight in his right eye.
Prosecution and Defense
Prosecutors argued that Matar was motivated by a 1989 fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie’s death. Defense attorney Nathaniel Barone said there was no evidence of Matar’s intent. Matar himself did not testify. Rushdie’s testimony included, “I can’t say what his ambitions or his aim was, but the wounds were dispersed across my body.”
Rushdie, known for his novel “Midnight’s Children,” faced death threats following his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses.” The novel generated significant controversy, resulting in riots and several attacks on translators and publishers.
Impact of the Fatwa
Despite Iran’s 1998 distancing from the fatwa, it was never revoked. The bounty on Rushdie’s life remains over $3 million. Matar allegedly communicated with contacts about the fatwa in 2021 and 2022. Messages revealed a desire to confront Rushdie and to carry out what Matar described as a jihad.
Prosecutors presented evidence showing Matar’s attempts to track Rushdie’s public appearances, which led to the planned attack in August 2022.
Attack and Aftermath
During the attack, Rushdie was set to speak at the Chautauqua Institution in New York when Matar rushed the stage, stabbing him. The audience and Henry Reese quickly intervened, helping to restrain Matar until authorities arrested him.
Since the attack, Rushdie has published a memoir in 2024 and a new novel, “The Eleventh Hour.” He received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize lifetime achievement award.