Attempted murder trial of Rushdie assailant to begin

by Gregory WALTON

The man accused of trying to kill the author Salman Rushdie, leaving him blind in one eye, goes on trial Tuesday for attempted murder, according to state court filings.

Hadi Matar, an American of Lebanese descent, has also been charged separately by a federal court on suspicion of terrorism for allegedly conducting the 2022 stabbing attack on behalf of the militant group Hezbollah.

In August 2022 Rushdie, now 77, lost vision in his right eye after the attack by a knife-wielding assailant, who jumped on stage at an arts gathering in New York state and stabbed the author about 10 times.

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The Indian-born writer, a naturalized American based in New York, has faced death threats since his 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses" was declared blasphemous by Iran's supreme leader.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or religious edict, in 1989 calling on Muslims anywhere in the world to kill Rushdie.

Hezbollah endorsed the fatwa, the FBI has said.

Matar had told the New York Post newspaper that he had only read two pages of Rushdie's novel but believed he had "attacked Islam."

Rushdie suffered stab wounds in the neck and abdomen before attendees and guards subdued the attacker, later identified as Matar.

Matar was due to appear before judge David Foley in Chautauqua County Court on Tuesday, according to a New York state case listing index.

The charges against him in the case are attempted murder and assault.

- 'I just stood there' -

Rushdie had lived in seclusion in London for the first decade after the fatwa was issued, but for the past 20 years he has lived a relatively normal life in New York.

Last year, he published a memoir called "Knife" in which he recounted the near-death experience.

"Why didn't I fight? Why didn't I run? I just stood there like a pinata and let him smash me," Rushdie wrote.

"It didn't feel dramatic, or particularly awful. It just felt probable... matter-of-fact."

Tehran denied any link with the attacker -- but said only Rushdie was to blame for the incident. The suspect, now 27, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

Rushdie explained in "Knife" that the attack has not changed his view on his most famous work.

"I am proud of the work I've done, and that very much includes The Satanic Verses. If anyone's looking for remorse, you can stop reading right here," he said.

Rushdie has said that he did not want to attend the talk, and two days before the incident, he had a dream of being attacked by a gladiator with a spear in a Roman amphitheater.

"And then I thought, 'Don't be silly. It's a dream,'" he told CBS.