A US federal jury has convicted Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie during a public event in New York in 2022, on terrorism-related charges. The verdict was announced by the US Department of Justice, with Matar now facing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Prosecutors argued that Matar had spent more than a year studying material linked to Hezbollah and preparing to carry out the attack, which authorities said was motivated by a decades-old fatwa against Rushdie.

Jury Finds Matar Guilty

According to the US Department of Justice, the 28-year-old Fairview, New Jersey resident was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah, committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and providing material support to terrorists.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said Matar had immersed himself in Hezbollah’s ideology before acting on a fatwa issued by Iranian religious leaders calling for Rushdie’s murder.

Eisenberg described the attack as a reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism and said the verdict ensured that Matar would be held accountable for his actions.

Attack Left Rushdie Seriously Injured

The attack took place in August 2022, moments before Salman Rushdie was due to deliver a lecture at a literary event in New York.

Matar allegedly rushed onto the stage and repeatedly stabbed the author, inflicting serious injuries, including wounds to his neck. The event’s moderator was also injured during the attack.

Rushdie required life-support treatment following the assault and underwent extensive medical care.

Fatwa at Centre of Case

Prosecutors told the court that Matar spent more than a year researching the fatwa issued against Rushdie before carrying out the attack.

The fatwa was declared in 1989 by Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini following the publication of Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses, which was considered blasphemous by sections of the Muslim community.

According to the Justice Department, evidence presented during the trial showed that Matar’s actions were linked to his support for Hezbollah and his adherence to the decades-old religious decree.

Matar is scheduled to be sentenced in November and faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

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