Man convicted of Rushdie attack found guilty of terrorism charges in US federal court
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Man convicted of Rushdie attack found guilty of terrorism charges in US federal court
Man convicted of terrorism in 2022 Salman Rushdie stabbing linked to Hezbollah
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Hadi Matar, the man convicted of attempting to murder author Salman Rushdie, was found guilty on Wednesday of additional charges including transnational terrorism and providing material support to a terrorist organization. The verdict was delivered by a federal court in Buffalo, New York, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Matar, 28, who is of Lebanese descent and holds dual U.S. and Lebanese citizenship, now faces the possibility of life in prison. The new charges stem from allegations that Matar acted on the instructions of Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Iran. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
The attack on Rushdie occurred on August 12, 2022, at a literary event in Chautauqua, New York. Matar stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times, causing severe injuries including the loss of sight in one eye. Rushdie, who was 75 at the time of the attack, has since written about the experience in his memoir "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder," published in April 2024.
Matar was previously convicted of attempted murder in May 2025 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, the new federal charges carry significantly harsher penalties. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Matar was found guilty of "engaging in a transnational act of terrorism and providing material support to terrorists."
The prosecution argued that Matar was motivated by a fatwa, or religious edict, issued by the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. The fatwa called for Rushdie's death over his novel "The Satanic Verses," which many Muslims consider blasphemous.
Matar's defense attorney, Nathaniel L. Barone II, expressed disappointment with the verdict and indicated plans to appeal. Barone argued that the current political climate and tensions with Iran made it challenging to convince the jury of Matar's innocence, according to The New York Times.
The sentencing for the new charges is scheduled for November 3, 2026. Matar showed no visible reaction as the verdict was read in court, keeping his head down and swaying slightly in his seat, as reported by Digi24.
The case has drawn international attention due to the high-profile nature of the victim and the geopolitical implications of the attack. Rushdie, a British-Indian novelist, has been a target of Islamic extremists since the publication of "The Satanic Verses" in 1988.
Hezbollah, the group Matar is accused of supporting, is a Shiite Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. It has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and several other countries.
The attack on Rushdie was captured on video and witnessed by hundreds of people attending the event. Prosecutors alleged that Matar had planned the attack for months, inspired by previous attempts on Rushdie's life.
In the aftermath of the attack, Rushdie has spoken publicly about his recovery and the impact of the assault on his life. His memoir "Knife" provides a detailed account of the attack and its aftermath.
The federal trial lasted one week and focused on Matar's motivations and connections to Hezbollah. Prosecutors presented evidence linking Matar to the group and argued that his actions were part of a broader effort to carry out the fatwa against Rushdie.
Matar's family has stated that he became increasingly interested in Islam after a trip to the Middle East in 2018. However, they have not publicly commented on the recent verdict.
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