Hadi Matar Convicted of Federal Terrorism Charges for 2022 Stabbing of Salman Rushdie
A federal jury convicted Hadi Matar of federal terrorism charges on Wednesday for the 2022 stabbing of novelist Salman Rushdie. The 28-year-old from New Jersey, who also holds Lebanese citizenship, was found guilty of engaging in an act of transnational terrorism. Matar was motivated by a 1989 religious edict from Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which called for Rushdie's death due to his novel 'The Satanic Verses.' During the 2022 attack, Salman Rushdie was slashed 15 times on an amphitheater stage while delivering a speech. The author survived the attack, though he lost sight in his right eye and suffered significant damage to his left hand and liver. Prosecutors noted that Matar spent months planning the attack as part of a jihad, showing support for the terrorist organization Hezbollah. While the administration announced the verdict, Iran's government has denied involvement in the attack. Matar is currently serving a 25-year state prison sentence and faces a potential life term in federal court, with sentencing scheduled for November 3.