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Rushdie Attacker Sentenced: 25 Years Behind Bars For Brutal 2022 Assault

May 16, 2025, 11:56 pm

Hadi Matar, the attacker who stabbed author Salman Rushdie at a public event in Western New York in 2022, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison, district attorney Ann Marie said. The second man was also injured.

Rushdie, 77, has endured death threats ever since his novel “The Satanic Verses” was published in 1988, when Iran’s then-leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, declared the book blasphemous and issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s assassination.

Matar, 27, of Fairview, New Jersey, is a US citizen. He was sentenced in May in Chautauqua County Court to second-degree attempted murder for the February 2022 stabbing incident. He was also sentenced to seven years for second-degree assault for wounding Henry Reese, who was accompanying Rushdie at the time of the attack. The two sentences will be served concurrently.

Video evidence captured Matar storming the stage at the Chautauqua Institution as Rushdie prepared to give a talk on safeguarding writers from violence. The attack left Rushdie half-blind in his right eye and badly hurt, needing emergency surgery to repair injuries to his liver and intestines.

District Attorney Jason Schmidt characterized the long-term trauma Rushdie endures, such as nightmares and continued recovery issues. City of Asylum co-founder Henry Reese was also stabbed but lived.

Matar’s defense countered that prosecutors did not establish intent to kill, and an assault charge would be more suitable. His attorney, Nathaniel Barone, said they would appeal the conviction.

Matar also has independent federal charges of terrorism in Buffalo, charged with trying to kill Rushdie as an act of terror and giving support to the terrorist organization Hezbollah. His second trial awaits.

Salman Rushdie Stabbing Case Nears Climax: Hadi Matar Could Get 25-Year Sentence

May 16, 2025, 1:15 pm

The man who savagely attacked renowned author Salman Rushdie on a public platform in 2022 will be sentenced today in a court in New York, representing a turning point in the current global debate regarding freedom of expression and religious extremism. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted of attempted murder and assault in February by a jury that deliberated for less than two hours.

Attack on Salman Rushdie, That Shook the Literary World

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was set to address the Chautauqua Institution when Hadi Matar, wearing a mask and armed with a knife, stormed the stage and stabbed the writer repeatedly in the head and body. The assault rendered Rushdie blind in one eye and seriously hurt him. Describing the horrific moment, Rushdie took the stand, testifying that he thought he was going to die as the attacker thrust the knife into his body.

The writer, author of books such as Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses, was hospitalized for 17 days in Pennsylvania and over three weeks in New York for rehabilitation. He subsequently detailed his extended recovery in his 2024 memoir, Knife.

Prosecution Seeks Maximum Sentence

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said that he will seek the top sentence—25 years in prison for the attempted assassination of Rushdie and seven years for injuring a second man who was on stage. But because both victims were injured in the same attack, the sentences will be served concurrently.

Rushdie will not be in court for sentencing. His participation in the trial, however, was essential. His evidence was firsthand testimony of what terror he went through, and brought worldwide focus back to the risks writers endure for their writing.

The Fatwa That Never Died

Matar, an American citizen, is to stand trial separately in federal court on charges related to terrorism. Matar is believed to have acted under a fatwa declared in 1989 by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which called for the death of Rushdie after the publication of The Satanic Verses. Federal authorities say Matar thought the edict remained in effect and was endorsed by Hezbollah, pointing to a 2006 address by the group’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah.

Even though Iran publicly declared in subsequent years that it would not enforce the fatwa, Rushdie continued to be at risk for decades. After hiding for decades, he started moving around more freely—until the danger was brought back by Matar’s attack.

Salman Rushdie Attack: A Dangerous Reminder

The security footage from the venue, which was seen at the trial, showed the entire horror: Matar came up behind Rushdie, stabbed him as the crowd shrieked, and kept going until civilians yanked him off. The brutal act highlighted the sobering fact that words can still trigger lethal responses.

As Matar is held for federal trial, attention will turn toward the motives behind his actions and potential connections to global terrorism. The world will pay attention as well to how this case impacts the current debate about freedom of expression, religious tolerance, and the extension of extremist ideologies.

This moment is a painful reminder: the struggle between free thought and fanaticism is far from resolved, and it continues to have victims, even years after the initial flame.

Jury Convicts Hadi Matar for Stabbing Salman Rushdie on Stage

February 22, 2025, 1:11 pm

A jury in New Jersey found Hadi Matar guilty of attempted murder on Friday. He attacked author Salman Rushdie on a New York lecture stage in 2022. The jury needed less than two hours to reach a verdict. Additionally, they convicted Matar of assault for injuring another man on stage.

Brutal Attack Left Rushdie Blind in One Eye

On August 12, 2022, Matar suddenly rushed onto the stage at the Chautauqua Institution. At that moment, Rushdie was preparing to speak. Without hesitation, Matar stabbed him more than a dozen times. As a result, the shocking attack left the 77-year-old writer blind in one eye.

During the trial, Rushdie testified for seven days. He described his severe injuries and the long, painful recovery that followed.

Matar Showed No Emotion After the Verdict

When the jury announced the verdict, Matar remained silent. He looked down at the defense table but did not react. However, as officers escorted him out in handcuffs, he quietly said, “Free Palestine.” He had repeatedly made this statement during the trial.

Meanwhile, the judge scheduled his sentencing for April 23. If given the maximum penalty, Matar could face up to 25 years in prison. According to his public defender, Nathaniel Barone, Matar felt disappointed but had prepared himself for the outcome.

Prosecutors Prove Matar Intended to Kill

During the closing argument, District Attorney Jason Schmidt played a slow-motion video of the attack. The footage clearly showed Matar rushing onto the stage, moving toward Rushdie, and stabbing him repeatedly.

“I want you to look at the unprovoked nature of this attack,” Schmidt stated. “I want you to look at the targeted nature of the attack. There were a lot of people around that day, but there was only one person who was targeted.”

On the other hand, defense attorney Andrew Brautigan argued that the prosecution failed to prove Matar intended to kill Rushdie. He insisted that Matar’s goal remained unclear. “You will agree something bad happened to Mr. Rushdie, but you don’t know what Mr. Matar’s conscious objective was,” Brautigan told the jury. Furthermore, he pointed out that Matar carried only knives—not a gun or bomb.

However, Schmidt rejected that claim. “If you stab someone 10 or 15 times in the face and neck, it’s foreseeable that it could be fatal,” he argued.

Rushdie Describes Attack in Graphic Detail

Rushdie, a Booker Prize-winning author, gave a powerful testimony. He told jurors that he believed he was dying. As he recalled, a masked man ran at him, stabbing and slashing until bystanders intervened. In a dramatic moment, Rushdie removed his dark glasses to reveal his blinded right eye.

Schmidt then reminded jurors of a trauma surgeon’s testimony. The doctor had explained that Rushdie’s injuries would have been fatal without immediate medical help.

As part of the evidence, the court watched a video of Matar sneaking up behind Rushdie. The footage showed Matar reaching around and stabbing at Rushdie’s torso. In response, Rushdie raised his arms and tried to escape. However, Matar clung to him, continuing to stab until they both fell. At that point, onlookers rushed in to separate them.

A particularly shocking frame in the video showed Rushdie lying on the ground. His face and hands were covered in blood. “We’ve shown you intent,” Schmidt concluded.

Audience Shocked as Violence Unfolded

During the attack, the audience gasped and screamed. Many had gathered to hear Rushdie discuss freedom of expression and writer safety. Unfortunately, the attack also injured Henry Reese, co-founder of City of Asylum Pittsburgh. He suffered a deep cut to his forehead, leading to Matar’s assault charge.

In addition, multiple witnesses identified Matar as the attacker.

Rushdie sustained severe stab wounds to his head, throat, torso, thigh, and hand. He spent 17 days in a Pennsylvania hospital. After that, he stayed more than three weeks at a New York rehabilitation center. Later, he detailed his painful recovery in his 2024 memoir, Knife.

Matar’s Defense Claims Rushdie’s Fame Influenced Charges

Throughout the trial, Matar often took notes. Occasionally, he smiled and joked with his defense team. Despite the serious charges, his lawyers chose not to call any witnesses. Additionally, Matar did not testify in his own defense.

Meanwhile, his public defender, Nathaniel Barone, argued that Rushdie’s fame influenced the case. “We think it became an attempted murder because of the notoriety of the alleged victim,” Barone told reporters. “That’s been it from the beginning. It’s for publicity.”

Federal Terrorism Trial Awaits

Apart from this case, Matar also faces federal terrorism-related charges. Prosecutors claim that Matar was motivated by a 2006 Hezbollah speech. In that speech, the group’s leader supported a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death.

Originally, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued the fatwa in 1989. He condemned Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses, which some Muslims found offensive.

For years, Rushdie lived in hiding. However, after Iran announced it would not enforce the fatwa, he resumed public life. Sadly, Matar’s attack reignited concerns about his safety.

Now, Matar must also stand trial in U.S. District Court in Buffalo for terrorism-related charges.

Salman Rushdie Faces Attacker In Court, Recounts Harrowing 2022 Stabbing

February 12, 2025, 1:59 am

Rushdie, 77, spoke with composure and occasional humor as he recounted the harrowing moment when a man rushed at him during an event at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. The accused, 26-year-old Hadi Matar, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and assault.

“I was aware of this person rushing at me from my right-hand side,” Rushdie testified, recalling the attack that left him with multiple injuries, including the loss of vision in his right eye. Initially mistaking the blows for punches, he soon realized he was being repeatedly stabbed. “A large quantity of blood was pouring out onto my clothes,” he said.

Matar, a US-Lebanese dual citizen, previously told the New York Post that he disliked Rushdie for allegedly insulting Islam. His defense team has not disputed his presence at the scene but argues that the prosecution has not proven intent beyond a reasonable doubt.

Rushdie, who spent years in hiding after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa over The Satanic Verses, was giving a talk on writer safety when he was attacked. The jury has not been presented with details of the fatwa.

During cross-examination, Rushdie dismissed suggestions that he had counted his stab wounds, stating, “I was otherwise occupied.” His remarks carried his trademark wit, even joking about his minor film appearances before stepping down.

If convicted, Matar faces up to 25 years in prison, alongside separate federal terrorism charges.

Salman Rushdie Stabbing: Hadi Matar Pleads Not Guilty at Trial

February 11, 2025, 3:18 pm

The trial of the man accused of attempting to murder India-born British-American novelist Salman Rushdie began on Monday in New York, according to The New York Times.

Prosecutors laid out their case against Hadi Matar, who allegedly attacked Rushdie. Several witnesses recounted the chaotic moments that followed the stabbing.

Matar, 27, is charged with attempted murder. During the prosecution’s opening statement, the district attorney stated that the attacker appeared “to be on a mission” as he rushed onto the stage to assault Rushdie.

The attack took place at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie had just been introduced to speak about protecting writers from harm. He was stabbed multiple times in the head, neck, torso, and left hand, leaving him blind in his right eye and causing damage to his liver and intestines.

A jury was selected last week for the trial at the Chautauqua County Courthouse in Mayville, New York. Matar has pleaded not guilty. District Attorney Jason Schmidt plans to call 15 witnesses to testify against him, with Rushdie expected to be among the first to take the stand.

During opening statements, Schmidt emphasized the calculated nature of the attack, reiterating that Matar was “on a mission.”

Rushdie is best known for his acclaimed novel Midnight’s Children (1981), which won the Booker Prize, and The Satanic Verses (1988), a book that sparked controversy in the Islamic world.

Salman Rushdie Attack Trial Begins: Hadi Matar Faces Justice For Stabbing Author In 2022

February 2, 2025, 10:25 pm

The trial of Hadi Matar, accused of attacking renowned author Salman Rushdie during a 2022 lecture in Chautauqua, New York, begins this week, drawing international attention to the small village. Matar, 26, faces charges of attempted murder and assault after allegedly stabbing Rushdie ten times, causing significant injuries, including vision loss and liver damage. The attack, which was witnessed by the audience and recorded on cellphones, has sparked widespread media coverage.

Rushdie, who had lived under threat of a fatwa since publishing “The Satanic Verses” in 1988, survived the attack, crediting “man-made miracles” for his recovery. Matar, born in the US with Lebanese citizenship, has pleaded not guilty to charges, and his defense argues that his trial should be moved because he believes he will not receive a fair trial in Chautauqua County. Matar’s lawyer, Nathan Barone, further expressed his concern that there may be bias against Arab Americans and the Muslim community in the region.

It is a trial of not only the actions of Matar but also the broader ideological and political motives of the attack. Matar, according to reports, detested Rushdie’s work as an attack on Islam. The prosecutors are now focusing on physical evidence and eye-witness accounts and have, during the trial, excluded the discussion of the fatwa.

While Matar still faces both state and federal charges, including ties to Hezbollah, his refusal to accept a plea deal indicates his strong intent to face trial court on his own terms. Legal pundits argue that the trial is sure to be contentious and may give rise to disputes about religious and political beliefs during Matar’s defense.

The Satanic Verses: Salman Rushdie Controversial Novel Returns To India After Decades

December 27, 2024, 10:45 pm

The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel, has come back to Indian bookshops after a decade ban. This controversial 1988 novel, has sparked international protest over its depiction of the prophet Muhammad and a subsequent fatwa against him from Iran’s then supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini, had remained banned in India since it hit the stands.

The Rajiv Gandhi-led government prohibited the book in 1988 following riots over its contents. However, a recent twist in India’s bureaucratic maze led to its reappearance. Delhi’s high court overturned the ban last month after authorities were unable to locate the original order prohibiting its import. The court ruled: “We have no other option except to presume that no such notification exists.”

The novel’s return to Indian bookshelves has reignited public interest. Bahrisons Booksellers, a renowned retailer in New Delhi’s Khan Market, announced the availability of The Satanic Verses through a social media post, stating, “The Satanic Verses is now in stock.” Despite its steep price of 1,999 rupees (approximately £19), the store reported brisk sales. “We’re selling out,” said a store manager, noting the curiosity among readers.

Manasi Subramaniam, editor-in-chief at Penguin Random House India, was celebrating the move. “Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true,” she posted on social media, quoting Rushdie. “At long last, @SalmanRushdie’s The Satanic Verses is allowed to be sold in India.

Those interested include English major 22-year-old Dilip Sharma: “I’ve heard people talking about The Satanic Verses all my life. I wanted to read it out of curiosity. Feels unreal seeing it lying in bookstores,” he said.

However, the book has also elicited protests from some Muslim groups, who claim that it insults Islamic beliefs and threatens to disturb social harmony. Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, renewed the demand for a ban, saying, “No Muslim can tolerate seeing this hateful book on any bookstore shelf.

Rushdie, who survived a near-fatal attack in New York two years ago, maintains the novel is a work of fiction and denies any intent to offend. The author, who holds US-British citizenship, was knighted in 2007 and continues to champion free expression.

Delhi Court Lifts 36-Year Ban On Salman Rushdie “The Satanic Verses”, Import Door Opens

November 8, 2024, 1:24 am

The Delhi High Court has officially lifted the 36-year-old ban on importing Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel “The Satanic Verses”, citing the lack of an original notification enforcing the restriction.

The ban, which was imposed in 1988 under then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was a response to protests from Muslim groups, who deemed the book blasphemous. However, in a significant ruling on November 5, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs informed the court that it could no longer locate the notification that had originally enacted the ban.

In their ruling, Justices Rekha Palli and Saurabh Banerjee stated that without the official notification on record, they were compelled to assume it did not exist. The case stemmed from a petition filed by Sandipan Khan in 2019, who challenged the import ban and argued it hindered his ability to acquire a copy of the book.

Khan had highlighted the absence of any official record of the ban on government websites or with relevant authorities, even though the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed it had initially imposed the ban after a Right to Information request.

With the court’s decision, the ban on importing “The Satanic Verses” into India has been effectively lifted, allowing the book’s legal entry into the country for the first time in over three decades.

Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife’

August 16, 2024, 1:32 am

Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife: Meditation After an Attempt Murder’ (2024) is a collection of autobiographical memoirs. He wrote the memoir after he was attacked on 12th August 2022 in New York where he lost his right eye in this attack. He dedicated this book to the men and women who saved his life. He insisted that he had to write this memoir, otherwise he would not be able to write anything else. This memoir has been written in a first-person narrative. He says, “That’s an “I” story. And now, I tell myself, it’s also an “eye” story.” But his eye story is focused on the issues of obscurantism and barbarism and a number of hidden threats to humanity, narrow-minded religious discourses which misled youth in the contemporary period.

Moreover, he believes that the artist can answer violence in some artistic idioms because he or she has trained his mind to change the world with words and language. So words are his powerful weapon against violence. Salman writes, “I don’t like to think of writing as therapy-writing is writing, and therapy is therapy- but there was a good chance that telling the story as I saw it might make me feel better.” Here he is very clear about the difference between, the ‘therapy’ and ‘writing’ but in spite of that he starts meditating with words and number of references and quotes which was focused on the ‘knife as metaphor of hate’ and that meditation was for his literary world. Through the medical treatments, they were healing him physically, but the meditation of the words was healing his creative mind only through addressing the problems in depth and detail. As he believes that language is his ‘knife’ in all circumstances, that is why he could create a wonderful artistic work with it.
‘The A’ is the person who attacked him fifteen times with a knife in twenty-seven seconds. He wanted to murder him because he thought that Salman was a ‘disingenuous’. Salman did not make any straight comment on the A’s cast, creed or community, and any traditional identification is not labeled with the attacker. He simply addressed him ‘the A’.

Because he does not want to spread hate about a particular community, a mature reader understands his limitations. If he discloses A’s community directly, it may deliver a wrong message and irrational hostility towards that community. Salman arranged an imaginary meeting with ‘the A’. He says, “Because a real meeting is improbable-make that impossible- I have to imagine my way into his head.” This imaginary meeting is the most interesting part in this book because, through this dialogue method which is concluded in four sessions, he genuinely wants to understand how the modern technology is going to encourage the young minds for unkind and unlawful activities in the “disinformation age”.

He believes that young minds are being trapped by religion, even a twenty-seven-year-old ‘the A’ who was inspired to kill an old and a strange person without understanding his philosophy of life and ideological approach, but based on some YouTube videos. Because ‘Yutubi noise’ had made it possible for ‘the A’ to pick up the knife. The conversation proved that the attacker could be asked such questions which he or his like-minded people might have no reasonable answers to the questions. Religion versus reason, knife versus knowledge and hate versus hope are the main themes of this book.

When Salman talks about religion he becomes very cognizant and conscious. He states that we have to distinguish between private religious faith and public politicised ideology. Consequently, ‘it would be easier to see things as they are and to speak out without worrying about offended sensibilities.’ Because from the very beginning, he advocates freedom of speech. Even when he was attacked in Chautauqua, he was invited there to deliver a lecture on the theme of ‘Freedom of Speech’. He says, “I have no issue with religion when it occupies this private space and doesn’t seek to impose its values on others. But when religion becomes politicised, even weaponised then it’s everybody’s business because if its capacity for harm.” So a secular approach has been adopted. His faith in creativity was more determined after this attack. Now he has two aims in life: love and work. He determines himself by saying that ‘If you are afraid of the consequences of what you say, then you are not free.’

But before this attack, though he believed that it had been thirty-three and half years since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s notorious death order against him, because it was said that Salman had made some objectionable statements in his fictional writing ‘The Satanic Verses’ (1988) that set a Muslim community leaders were against him and innumerable condemn action and criticism were there against the said fictional work. But Salman believed that the world had moved at its own speed and that the subject was ‘closed’. But a ‘murderous ghost’ from the past in the new generation was approaching him in its own way with a traditional weapon, i.e. a knife. Even Salman’s subconscious mind was dreaming a blinking message of attack in the form of a dream and he saw the same dream two nights before the actual attack in Chaurauqua. His readers all over the world were praying for him, but he was so confirmed in his beliefs about godlessness and didn’t believe in any miraculous powers, so he did not recite any prayers to God in those critical conditions. He says, “My godlessness remains intact. That isn’t going to change in this second-chance life.” There were even six assassination plots against him in the years after Fatwa, but all were foiled by the expertise of the British intelligence services. Though the fear of an attack remained in his mind and sometimes interviewers asked this uncomfortable question to him. But he sardonically answered every time. Even after the attack, he says during the treatment days that his waking self was calm, collected, optimistic and determined, but the wild nights of dreams told the truth and all the horrors came back to his mind. But he kept fighting with strong will-power. The reader can imagine how he is mentally strong because of his jovial mood. His ‘near-death experience’ in Chaurauqua is so vivid and vibrant that nothing is metaphorical or supernatural about it. Rather, it is very rational and well-narrated, a collection of real incidents.

The Knife’s ending is very artistic. Salman and his wife Eliza are coming back home after visiting the palace where Salman was attacked. He and his wife were on the same stage of the amphitheater and stood there and held each other tightly and told each other ‘We are together, I love you. I love you too’. They had come through the nightmare, but now they were feeling a new life. “We’re done here,” he said to Eliza, taking her hand. “Let’s go home.” The last single sentence conveys a message of life and love. It is a thought-provoking statement about a writer who has been facing a harsh reality of his life and even a threat was there. He did not leave his hope for better days and a bright future. This book inspires the readers to live life jubilantly with vitality and be optimistic in any circumstances.

Developed and underdeveloped countries face religiocentrism, which is a big problem in contemporary societies of the world. Though Salman does not directly address the problem of majoritarian Hinduism in the Indian administration, he states that ‘India is sinking fast into authoritarianism’. Along with this, he reminds us of the aftermath of the bloodbath of the partition massacres where thousands of innocent people had lost their lives because of their religious identities. So he indicates that secular values and rationality can help us to make the world better and language and the arts can play an important role in it.
All the best Salman for your ‘left eye’!

Dr. Satinderpal Singh Bawa is Lecturer in Punjabi, GSSS Bhagal Kaithal Haryana (India) and he has got published two books in Punjabi Criticism. He frequently writes in Punjabi and English.

Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling receives death threat on Twitter, saying ‘You are next’

August 14, 2022, 5:36 pm

Author J.K. Rowling has received a death threat for condemning the attack on Salman Rushdie. Rowling tweeted in support of Salman Rushdie. Since then, she has been receiving death threats.

Taking to Twitter Rowling wrote, “Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.” In response to this tweet, a user wrote, “Don’t worry, you’re next.” JK Rowling has shared a screenshot of this threatening tweet.

Renowned British writer Salman Rushdie was attacked in New York, with a knife on his neck. Many renowned authors condemned this attack on Salman Rushdie in strong words including Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling.

Earlier, New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar. Matar hail from Fairview, New Jersey, and is 24 years old.

Moreover, Matar who stabbed the author Rushdie pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in the second degree. On Saturday, Matar was remanded without bail at Chautauqua County Jail.

According to the New York State Police, “On August 12, 2022, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested Hadi Matar 24 of Fairview, NJ for Attempted Murder 2nd degree (B Felony) and Assault 2nd degree. Matar was processed at SP Jamestown and transported to Chautaugua Country Jail. Matar was arraigned in centralized arraignment on August 13, 2022, and was remanded without bail at Chautaugua Country Jail.”

However, Salman Rushdie is currently undergoing treatment. Earlier in the day Rushdie was taken off a ventilator and will be able to talk.

Author Salman Rushdie taken off ventilator; accused Matar pleaded ‘not guilty’

August 14, 2022, 11:36 am

Renowned author Salman Rushdie was taken off a ventilator on Friday and will be able to talk. Rushdie was attacked by a man with a knife on Friday at an event in New York, USA.

According to the Washington Post, Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wyllie said Rushdie was taken off a ventilator and could be able to talk.

Earlier, Hadi Matar who stabbed the author Rushdie pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in the second degree. On Saturday, Matar was remanded without bail at Chautauqua County Jail.

Earlier, New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar. Matar hail from Fairview, New Jersey, and is 24 years old.

“Earlier today, approx at 10:47 am, the speaker Rushdie, 75, and Henry Reese, 73 has just arrived at the stage of the institution and shortly thereafter the suspect jumped out of the stage and attacked at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen,” Major Eugene J. Staniszewski said.

Meanwhile, the White House on Saturday also called the attack on Salman Rushdie “reprehensible”. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris wished the renowned author a speedy recovery.

Moreover, UK PM Boris Johnson said, “Appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend. Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay.”

Salman Rushdie was born in 1974 in Mumbai and is 75 years old. He has a long history of controversies. After writing The Satanic Verses, he received death threats from Islamic extremists for several years.

White House condemns attack on Salman Rushdie; calls it ‘reprehensible’

August 13, 2022, 6:32 pm

The White House on Saturday called the attack on Salman Rushdie “reprehensible”. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris wished the renowned author a speedy recovery.

In his statement, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, “Today, the nation and the globe witnessed a heinous act against the author Salman Rushdie. This violent act is abhorrent. The Biden-Harris Administration as a whole is hoping for a quick recovery for him.”

Meanwhile, Sullivan went on to say that “We are grateful to law enforcement for its prompt and effective work, which is ongoing, and to good citizens and first responders for aiding Mr. Rushdie so quickly after the incident.”

Earlier, New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar. Matar hail from Fairview, New Jersey, and is 24 years old.

“The suspect has been identified as Hadi Matar, 24, from Fairview, New Jersey. Earlier today, approx at 10:47 am, the speaker Rushdie, 75, and Henry Reese, 73 has just arrived at the stage of the institution and shortly thereafter the suspect jumped out of the stage and attacked at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen,” Major Eugene J. Staniszewski said.

Known for his free speech, Salman Rushdie received death threats for his book ‘The Satanic Verses. The book was released in 1988 and after 30 years of a fatwa, Rushdie was attacked. Rushdie was stabbed in the neck when he was on stage at the Chautauqua Institution. Rushdie is of Indian origin and is currently a citizen of Britain.

However, the Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit community on Lake Chautauqua in southwestern New York province.

Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator; likely to lose an eye

August 13, 2022, 12:37 pm

Renowned author Salman Rushdie is on a ventilator after the attack and may have to lose an eye. He was attacked by a man with a knife on Friday at an event in New York, USA.

According to Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wyllie, Rushdie’s liver was damaged in the attack. Wyllie reported that Rushdie had broken nerves in his arm and damaged his liver. With this, there is a possibility of losing one of his eyes.

“The news is not good. Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed, and his liver was stabbed and damaged,” Wylie said.

Earlier, New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar. Matar hail from Fairview, New Jersey, and is 24 years old.

Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “He is alive and has been transported, airlifted, to safety… The event moderator was attacked as well; he’s getting the care he needs at a local hospital.”

Taking to Twitter Taslima Nasreen said, “I just learned that Salman Rushdie was attacked in New York. I am really shocked. I never thought it would happen. He has been living in the West, and he has been protected since 1989. If he is attacked, anyone who is critical of Islam can be attacked. I am worried.”

However, Rushdie was stabbed in the neck when he was on stage at the Chautauqua Institution. The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit community on Lake Chautauqua in southwestern New York province.