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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Crime & Justice

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From Daily Star · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Hadi Matar, the assailant of author Salman Rushdie, was convicted by a federal jury of "engaging in an act of terrorism" for the 2022 stabbing.
  • Prosecutors stated Matar spent months planning the attack, which was linked to a fatwa calling for Rushdie's execution over his novel "The Satanic Verses."
  • Matar faces a potential life sentence in addition to a 25-year state prison term he is already serving.

A federal jury has convicted Hadi Matar of "engaging in an act of terrorism" for the brutal stabbing of "The Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie in August 2022. The conviction stems from the attack that occurred at a cultural center in Chautauqua, New York, leaving Rushdie partially blind and with other severe injuries.

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

— Michael DiGiacomoUS Attorney Michael DiGiacomo commenting on the significance of Hadi Matar's conviction.

US Attorney Michael DiGiacomo stated that Matar, 28, "chose to align his values with the terroristic values of the leaders of Iran" and meticulously planned the stabbing over several months. Investigators found materials linked to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah at Matar's home, leading to a conviction for supporting the organization. Prosecutors argued that Matar acted upon a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death, initially issued by Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 for the novel's fictional portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad.

Rushdie himself testified during the federal trial, recounting the assault. When asked if he believed Matar was motivated by the fatwa, Rushdie reportedly said, "I had no knowledge of that. I have my suspicions." The attack occurred during a free speech conference when Matar rushed the stage and repeatedly stabbed the author. This federal conviction adds to Matar's prior conviction in New York state for attempted murder, for which he received a 25-year prison sentence. He now faces a potential maximum federal penalty of life imprisonment.

I had no knowledge of that. I have my suspicions.

— Salman RushdieRushdie's response when asked if he believed Matar was motivated by the fatwa during his federal trial testimony.

Matar previously told a reporter that he believed Rushdie had "attacked Islam." Rushdie, who had lived in seclusion for years following the 1989 fatwa, had been living more openly in New York for two decades prior to the attack. The assault has been the subject of recent media, including Rushdie's 2024 memoir "Knife" and a documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

chose to align his values with the terroristic values of the leaders of Iran

— Michael DiGiacomoUS Attorney Michael DiGiacomo describing the defendant's motivations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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