Man convicted in terrorism trial over 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie

Hadi Matar has been convicted on federal terrorism charges for the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie, who had faced a decades-old death threat over his novel "The Satanic Verses." A jury found Matar guilty of all charges, including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism, after only a few hours of deliberations.

Rushdie, who was preparing to speak about writers' safety, was slashed 15 times on stage, suffering severe wounds and losing sight in his right eye. Prosecutors argued Matar was motivated by a 1989 call for Rushdie's death by the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued because of "The Satanic Verses."

"His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism," stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg, adding that "justice has been done." Iran's government has denied any involvement in the attack.

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His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism

Matar's defense had argued the government lacked proof of his state of mind. Matar himself declined to testify, but Rushdie told the jury, "I can't say what his ambitions or his aim was, but the wounds were dispersed across my body."

Matar, 28, is currently serving a 25-year New York state prison sentence for attempted murder. His federal sentencing is scheduled for November 3, where he could receive a life sentence. The "Satanic Verses" novel, published in 1988, sparked protests around the Muslim world, with some believers deeming it blasphemous. Over the years, the book's controversy led to violence, including the deaths of a Japanese translator and attacks on an Italian translator and Norwegian publisher.

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I can't say what his ambitions or his aim was, but the wounds were dispersed across my body.