A federal jury convicted Hadi Matar, the assailant who attacked novelist Salman Rushdie in 2022, of engaging in an act of terrorism. Matar, a 28-year-old Lebanese American, was found to have planned the stabbing that nearly killed Rushdie and left him blind in one eye. He was also convicted of supporting the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Background of the Attack
The attack on Rushdie occurred in August 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution in Mayville, New York, during a free speech conference. Matar, then 24, leapt onto the stage and stabbed Rushdie repeatedly with a six-inch blade. The assault was driven by a fatwa issued in 1989 by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, calling for Rushdie's execution for his novel 'The Satanic Verses.'
Legal Consequences and Statements
Matar had already been convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison by the New York state justice system. The federal terrorism conviction now adds a potential life sentence. US Attorney Michael DiGiacomo stated that Matar's attack was a reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism. Rushdie, who lived in seclusion after the 1989 fatwa, has spoken out against the use of violence to attack culture.