Additional Coverage:
- Salman Rushdie attacker convicted of federal terrorism charges, motivated by Iranian fatwa (foxnews.com)
A federal jury in Buffalo has found Hadi Matar guilty of attempting to carry out the decades-old fatwa against British author Salman Rushdie. The 28-year-old was convicted Wednesday on charges including providing material support to the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group and committing an act of terrorism that crossed national boundaries.
Matar, who is already serving a 25-year sentence after his 2022 knife attack on Rushdie, faces the possibility of life in prison when he is sentenced on November 3. The attack, which left Rushdie blind in one eye and with nerve damage, occurred during a public event in western New York.
Prosecutors argued that Matar was motivated by Rushdie’s 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses,” which many Muslims considered blasphemous. Following the book’s publication, Iran’s then-leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death-a decree reaffirmed years later by Khomeini’s successor, Ali Khamenei. Matar, who holds both U.S. and Lebanese citizenship, reportedly spent over a year studying the fatwa before the assault and embraced Islam after a Middle East visit some years prior.
On August 12, 2022, Matar rushed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution in Mayville, New York, stabbing Rushdie multiple times in the head, neck, torso, and hand. The federal trial focused on whether the attack constituted an act of terrorism. Despite the defense’s claim that Matar acted alone and was not directed by Hezbollah, prosecutors presented evidence of his allegiance, including a photograph of Matar wearing a Hezbollah shirt, an essay praising the group, and a video featuring a former Hezbollah leader.
Federal prosecutor Timothy Lynch told the jury Matar “wanted to be forever revered as a Hezbollah martyr.” Rushdie, who testified during the trial, described the attack as a chilling echo of his years in hiding after the fatwa was first issued. Reflecting on that day, he recounted seeing Matar approach in black clothing and a face mask, describing him as a “squat missile” coming at him with deadly intent.
The verdict underscores the enduring impact of the fatwa and highlights ongoing concerns about terrorism linked to international extremist groups operating within U.S. borders.