Who is Hadi Matar, 27-Year-old American-Lebanese Man Convicted for Attacking Author Salman Rushdie?- wna24

New York: A jury in western New York has convicted Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old from New Jersey, of attempted murder for the brutal stabbing of author Salman Rushdie. The attack, which took place on August 12, 2022, at the Chautauqua Institution, left Rushdie with severe injuries, including loss of vision in one eye and nerve damage in his arm, according to multiple media reports. The verdict came after Rushdie testified in court, recalling how he initially thought he was being punched before realising he was bleeding heavily. Matar, who was also convicted of assault for injuring another speaker at the event, now faces up to 32 years in prison.

Matar, who also faced charges of assault for injuring Ralph Henry Reese, is set to be sentenced on April 23. He could face up to 32 years in prison, apart from federal terrorism-related charges. The attack, which took place on August 12, 2022, at the Chautauqua Institution, left Rushdie with life-altering injuries, including the loss of vision in one eye, a damaged liver, and severed nerves in his arm.  

Rushdie was preparing to speak at a literary event when Matar, dressed in dark clothing and a face mask, stormed the stage and repeatedly stabbed him. The author suffered three stab wounds to his neck, four to his stomach, puncture wounds to his right eye and chest, and a deep cut on his right thigh. The attack happened in front of a stunned audience, many of whom rushed to his aid as security personnel overpowered Matar.  

Rushdie was immediately airlifted to a hospital in northwestern Pennsylvania, where he underwent emergency surgery. His recovery has been long and challenging, with doctors saying that he was lucky to have survived the gruesome assault.  

Following his arrest, Matar admitted that he had only read “two pages” of The Satanic Verses—the book that led to decades of threats against Rushdie. When asked about his motivation, Matar did not explicitly admit to acting on the fatwa issued by Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 but expressed admiration for him.  

“I respect the Ayatollah. I think he’s a great person. That’s as far as I will say about that,” he told reporters, adding that he was surprised Rushdie had survived.  

Matar’s social media and past statements have revealed that he supported the Iranian regime and had praised Khomeini, whose fatwa called for Rushdie’s assassination over allegations of blasphemy in The Satanic Verses.