SALMAN RUSHDIE’S ATTACKER HADI MATAR FOUND GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

Sat 22 February 2025:

A US jury has found Hadi Matar, the man who stabbed author Salman Rushdie in 2022, guilty of attempted murder following an eight-day trial, according to US media.

During the trial, Rushdie testified that he initially thought he was being punched but soon realized he was bleeding heavily, NBC News reported.

“But I saw a large quantity of blood pouring onto my clothes,” Rushdie was quoted as saying. “He was hitting me repeatedly. Hitting and slashing.”

Prosecutors reportedly argued that the attack was intentional, presenting slow-motion video footage to emphasize its targeted nature.

Matar’s lawyer contended that there was no clear proof of intent to kill.

Matar, a dual American and Lebanese citizen, declined to testify in his defense and has been held without bail since the attack.

He now faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing set for April 23, NBC affiliate WGRZ reported.

In August 2022, the world watched in horror as Salman Rushdie, the celebrated author whose work has long championed free expression, was brutally attacked on stage at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.

The assailant, Hadi Matar, rushed the stage and repeatedly stabbed Rushdie, leaving him with severe injuries, including the loss of an eye. The attack was immediately condemned as a violent assault on freedom of speech.

The assault left Rushdie partially blind and severely injured in multiple areas, including his neck, stomach, chest, hand, and right eye.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

Born in Bombay, India, in 1947, Rushdie’s work often explores themes of identity, migration, and the clash of cultures, particularly between East and West.

Rushdie’s early novels, Midnight’s Children and Shame, established him as a major literary voice. However, it was The Satanic Verses that catapulted him into the international spotlight, sparking widespread protests and a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini, calling for his death. This forced Rushdie into hiding for many years.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22