Mayville:
The trial of Hadi Matar, accused of attempting to murder novelist Salman Rushdie at a New York lecture, is set to begin with attorneys’ opening statements on Monday. Rushdie, who was stabbed at the Chautauqua Institution in August 2022, will be among the first witnesses to testify at the Chautauqua County Court in Mayville, New York.
Video footage shows Matar, 26, rushing the stage as Rushdie was being introduced for a talk on writer safety. Rushdie, 77, sustained multiple knife wounds to his head, neck, torso, and left hand, resulting in the loss of his right eye and damage to his liver and intestines.
Matar has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault. Rushdie, known for his controversial novel “The Satanic Verses,” has been a target of death threats since its publication in 1988.
Following the attack, Rushdie penned a memoir recounting the incident and his recovery, including an imagined dialogue with his attacker. He expressed his belief that he would not survive the assault on stage.
After receiving death threats in 1989, Rushdie went into hiding under British police protection. The fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s supreme leader at the time, called for his death and led to the murder of his Japanese translator in 1991.
Despite the Iranian government renouncing the fatwa in 1998, Rushdie continued to face threats. He later emerged from hiding and resumed public appearances in literary circles in New York City.
Matar, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Lebanon, admitted to targeting Rushdie due to his perceived attacks on Islam. The trial has faced delays, with Matar’s defense lawyer seeking a change of venue for a fair trial.
If convicted of attempted murder, Matar could face up to 25 years in prison. Additionally, he faces federal charges related to terrorism and support for Hezbollah, scheduled for a separate trial in Buffalo.
(This article is unedited and published from a syndicated feed.)
