In a New York court on Friday, a man named Hadi Matar, 27, from Fairview, New Jersey, was convicted of the attempted murder of acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie in 2022. A Chautauqua County jury delivered a guilty verdict against Matar for stabbing Rushdie just before the author was to speak at an event in western New York. Matar, looking downward, heard the jury foreperson pronounce him guilty of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault, which could result in a prison term of up to 25 years. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt expressed satisfaction that justice was served for the community and vowed to ensure Matar remained a resident of New York State for the next two and a half decades.
Matar is set to be sentenced on April 23, following his convictions for the attack on Rushdie. His defense attorney, Nathaniel Barone, expressed disappointment with the verdict and indicated plans to appeal, citing potential issues during the trial that could be grounds for appeal. Matar’s storming of the stage during Rushdie’s appearance at the Chautauqua Institution on August 12, 2022, resulted in the author sustaining serious injuries and being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
During the trial, Rushdie himself testified about the harrowing incident, detailing his injuries and the traumatic experience of the attack. Rushdie recounted the moment he realized the severity of his injuries and the overwhelming amount of blood he was surrounded by, leading him to fear for his life. The author vividly described the pain and shock he endured, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and his sense of impending death.
Salman Rushdie strikes a pose for the cameras during a photocall before the debut of his book “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder” at the renowned Deutsches Theater in Berlin, Germany on May 16, 2024. The question of why Matar decided to attack Rushdie remains a perplexing mystery. The charges brought against Matar suggest that his violent act was influenced by a speech given in 2006 by the leader of Hezbollah, a militant organization. This speech supposedly incited Matar to target Rushdie due to his controversial novel “The Satanic Verses,” which certain sects within the Muslim community view as sacrilegious.
Following the publication of “The Satanic Verses,” Rushdie faced severe backlash, resulting in his banishment from his home country of India. Moreover, Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, essentially calling for Rushdie’s execution, prompting the author to live in seclusion for a significant period. Eventually, Rushdie emerged from hiding and relocated to New York to resume his life.
Matar, a U.S. citizen with dual nationality in Lebanon, self-identifies as a Muslim, according to the Washington Post. In an interview from prison with the New York Post, Matar expressed his disdain towards Rushdie, labeling him as an individual who attacked the Islamic faith and portraying him in a negative light. Matar also shared his surprise at Rushdie’s survival following the brutal attack, during which Rushdie was stabbed approximately 15 times.
CNN reported that Matar still faces charges related to terrorism at the federal level due to the stabbing incident. The saga involving Salman Rushdie’s attacker and the implications of the 2022 attack have been detailed by Anthony Robledo and Barbara VanDenburgh in a piece for USA TODAY, shedding light on the complexities surrounding the case.
