Hadi Matar Convicted of Attempted Murder in Salman Rushdie Stabbing

The 2022 attack left the acclaimed author blind in one eye and resulted in life-altering injuries.

A New York jury found Hadi Matar guilty of attempted murder and assault for the August 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie during a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution.
The attack, carried out with a 10-inch knife, caused severe injuries, including permanent blindness in Rushdie's right eye, damage to his liver, and nerve damage in his hands.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before reaching the verdict, and Matar now faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for April 23.
Prosecutors highlighted the targeted nature of the attack, while Matar's defense argued that intent to kill was not proven; the jury rejected this argument.
A separate federal terrorism case alleges that Matar was motivated by a 2006 Hezbollah endorsement of the 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini against Rushdie.