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Hadi Matar has been found guilty of attempted murder and assault after stabbing Sir Salman Rushdie, a well-known British-Indian author, multiple times during a lecture in New York. The incident occurred in August 2022 and resulted in severe injuries for Sir Salman, including damage to his liver, vision loss in one eye, and a paralyzed hand. The attack took place at the Chautauqua Institute, leading to Matar facing a potential sentence of over 30 years in prison.
The guilty verdict was delivered by a jury after a two-week trial in Chautauqua County Court, near where the attack took place. In addition to the attempted murder of Sir Salman, Matar was also convicted of assault for injuring the interviewer, Henry Reese, who was present on stage during the attack. Sir Salman testified that he saw a man rushing towards him on stage and was struck by the assailant’s intense gaze before realizing he had been stabbed multiple times.
The attack on Sir Salman occurred decades after the publication of his controversial novel, The Satanic Verses, which ignited anger among some Muslim communities for its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. The book was banned in several countries, and Sir Salman faced death threats and an extended period of hiding after a fatwa was issued against him by Iran’s religious leader. Despite the threats diminishing in recent years, the attack in 2022 reignited concerns about the author’s safety.
During the trial, prosecuting lawyer Jason Schmidt emphasized the targeted nature of the attack, showcasing video evidence to the jury. Defense lawyer Andrew Brautigan argued that there was no evidence of Matar intending to kill Sir Salman. Matar, who praised Ayatollah Khomeini for calling for the author’s execution, has also been charged separately with supporting the militant group Hezbollah. Born to Lebanese immigrant parents in New Jersey, Matar’s involvement in such activities has drawn further attention to his criminal actions
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