Salman Rushdie, a well-known author, was stabbed Friday while delivering a public speech in Chautauqua, New York. He was 75 years old. Authorities have named Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old New Jersey resident who has openly declared his support for the Iranian government, as the guy who allegedly attacked him.
The Guardian claims Matar stormed the stage as Salman Rushdie prepared to speak as a guest speaker at the Chautauqua Institute Literary Festival and attacked him with what appeared to be a sharp object.
Since the release of The Satanic Verses in 1988, Salman Rushdie has drawn criticism, leading Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a fatwa (ban) against the author. The Fatwa demanded Rushdie’s execution. On the grounds that the author’s writing was blasphemous, it was done.
According to Politico, the Iranian government is offering a $3 million award for the murder of Salman Rushdie.
Hadi Matar
All about Salman Rushdie’s alleged attacker
Hadi Matar was born in California, despite living in Fairview, New Jersey, according to Newsweek. According to the Associated Press, the suspect attacked Salman Rushdie while in possession of a fake New Jersey driver’s license.
Although Hadi Matar’s motives have not been confirmed by New York authorities, his social media accounts suggest he may have been motivated by his alleged admiration for Shia extremism and government-related projects. Iranians, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a division of the Iranian Armed Forces created by Ayatollah Khomeini.
Authorities have determined that Hadi Matar is a supporter of these causes, but they have not yet definitively linked him to the Iranian government. The suspect allegedly wore black clothing and military fatigues during the attack on Salman Rusdhie, leading witnesses at the scene to believe the attack was planned.
The most recent information on the severity of the attack was reported by NBC New York, which noted that Rushdie was now ventilated. He has a damaged liver and nerve damage in one arm. One of his eyes could be lost.
The violence has previously been linked to Salman Rushdie and the publication of The Satanic Verses. At least 45 deaths are believed to have been linked to the uproar that followed the Fatwa, including the 1991 murder of Hitoshi Igarashi, a comparative literature assistant who translated Rushdie’s book into Japanese.
