<p>American-Lebanese man <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hadi-matar">Hadi Matar</a>, who stabbed award-winning writer Salman Rushdie, was found guilty on Friday (May 16) of attempting to kill the &ldquo;Satanic Verses&rdquo; author.</p>
<p>The court sentenced Matar to 25 years in prison, the maximum for an attempt to murder. The 27-year-old was convicted in February for stabbing Rushdie on stage during a 2022 lecture in western New York.</p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/author-and-novelist-salman-rushdies-attacker-hadi-matar-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison-for-2022-stabbing-case-9076514">Salman Rushdie's attacker sentenced to 25 years in prison for 2022 stabbing case</a></strong></p>
<p>The brutal attack left the popular author blind in one eye and seriously injured as he was stabbed over a dozen times in the head and torso.&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Who is Hadi Matar?</strong></h2>
<p>Matar, 27, holds dual United States and Lebanese citizenship and attacked Rushdie after being motivated by a 2006 speech in which a Hezbollah leader endorsed a decades-old fatwa.</p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-lebanese-hadi-matar-found-guilty-of-salman-rushdies-murder-attempt-8745272">Lebanese-American Hadi Matar found guilty of Salman Rushdie's murder attempt</a></strong></p>
<p>Iran's then-leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa against the writer in 1989, calling for his death over supposed blasphemy in his novel &ldquo;The Satanic Verses&rdquo;. Khomeini claimed the book insulted Islam and announced a $2.8 million bounty for killing Rushdie.</p>
<p>In 2022, Matar attacked Rushdie on the Chautauqua Institution&rsquo;s stage when the author was being introduced to the audience. He stabbed the Indian-born British-American author multiple times in the head, neck and torso.</p>
<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/salman-rushdies-attacker-came-dangerously-close-to-killing-satanic-verses-author-prosecutor-8709370">Salman Rushdie's attacker came 'dangerously close' to killing Satanic Verses author: Prosecutor</a></strong></p>
<p>Days after the stabbing, Matar told The New York Post in a jailhouse interview that he attacked Rushdie because he&rsquo;s &ldquo;someone who attacked Islam, he attacked their beliefs, the belief systems.&rdquo; He had travelled from his home in New Jersey after seeing the advertisement for the event, where Rushdie was going to be present, because he disliked him.</p>
<p>The brutal stabbing incident left Rushdie with life-threatening injuries, due to which he was blinded in his right eye and sustained damage to his liver and intestines, which required surgery and months of recovery.</p>
<p><strong>Watch | USA: Constitutional crisis looms over deportations, US court demands due process</strong></p>
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<p>Matar was also found guilty of attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the second degree for stabbing Henry Reese, who was also present on the stage with Rushdie for conducting the talks. Reese is the co-founder of Pittsburgh&rsquo;s City of Asylum, a non-profit organisation that helps exiled writers.</p>

The brutal attack left the popular author blind in one eye and seriously injured as he was stabbed over a dozen times in the head and torso. World

American-Lebanese man Hadi Matar, who stabbed award-winning writer Salman Rushdie, was found guilty on Friday (May 16) of attempting to kill the “Satanic Verses” author. The court sentenced Matar to 25 years in prison, the maximum for an attempt to murder. The 27-year-old was convicted in February for stabbing Rushdie on stage during a 2022 lecture in western New York. Also read | Salman Rushdie's attacker sentenced to 25 years in prison for 2022 stabbing case The brutal attack left the popular author blind in one eye and seriously injured as he was stabbed over a dozen times in the head and torso. Who is Hadi Matar? Matar, 27, holds dual United States and Lebanese citizenship and attacked Rushdie after being motivated by a 2006 speech in which a Hezbollah leader endorsed a decades-old fatwa. Also read | Lebanese-American Hadi Matar found guilty of Salman Rushdie's murder attempt Iran's then-leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa against the writer in 1989, calling for his death over supposed blasphemy in his novel “The Satanic Verses”. Khomeini claimed the book insulted Islam and announced a $2.8 million bounty for killing Rushdie. In 2022, Matar attacked Rushdie on the Chautauqua Institution’s stage when the author was being introduced to the audience. He stabbed the Indian-born British-American author multiple times in the head, neck and torso. Also read | Salman Rushdie's attacker came 'dangerously close' to killing Satanic Verses author: Prosecutor Days after the stabbing, Matar told The New York Post in a jailhouse interview that he attacked Rushdie because he’s “someone who attacked Islam, he attacked their beliefs, the belief systems.” He had travelled from his home in New Jersey after seeing the advertisement for the event, where Rushdie was going to be present, because he disliked him. The brutal stabbing incident left Rushdie with life-threatening injuries, due to which he was blinded in his right eye and sustained damage to his liver and intestines, which required surgery and months of recovery. Watch | USA: Constitutional crisis looms over deportations, US court demands due process Matar was also found guilty of attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the second degree for stabbing Henry Reese, who was also present on the stage with Rushdie for conducting the talks. Reese is the co-founder of Pittsburgh’s City of Asylum, a non-profit organisation that helps exiled writers.

Who is Hadi Matar? American-Lebanese man sentenced to 25 years in prison for stabbing Salman Rushdie

<p>A man in his early 20s who severely injured acclaimed author Salman Rushdie in August 2022 in western New York now faces a new charge of supporting Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based and Iran-back militant-political group that the US describes as a terrorist group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An indictment unsealed in US. District Court in Buffalo on Wednesday (July 24) charged Hadi Matar with providing material support to Hezbollah, sometime between September 2020 and August 2022.</p>

<p>The indictment, however, did not detail what evidence linked Matar to the group.</p>

<p>The federal charge comes after Matar earlier this month rejected an offer by state prosecutors to recommend a shorter prison sentence if he agreed to plead guilty in Chautauqua County Court, where he is charged with attempted murder and assault.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Matar, 26, is imprisoned without bail since the 2022 attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On August 12, 2022, Matar stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times for about 27 seconds, as the acclaimed writer was on-stage about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Knife wounds blinded Rushdie in one eye. The event moderator, Henry Reese, was also wounded.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/salman-rushdies-knife-cuts-open-an-empowering-defence-of-free-speech-717946">Salman Rushdie's 'Knife' cuts open an empowering defence of free speech</a></strong></p>

<p>After recovering from the wounds following weeks of rehabilitation, Rushdie wrote down the details of the attack in an intimate memoir '<em>Knife, Meditations After An Attempted Murder</em>'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Booker Prize-winning author described his would-be assassin with a single letter: A.</p>

<p>The knife attack on Rushdie came over 33&nbsp;years after that Valentine's Day of 1989, when Iran's then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared his novel 'The Satanic Verses' blasphemous and issued a fatwa ordering his execution and "all those involved in its publication."</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;WION Wideangle | Salman Rushdie attack: The World of Fatwas, decoded</strong></p>

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<p>In the book, Rushdie&nbsp;challenges the very orthodoxy that filled 'A.' with hatred vile enough that he nearly killed Rushdie for purportedly being "disingenuous".</p>

<p>Rushdie defends an artist's and art's right to exist because, without art, "our ability to think, to see freshly, and to renew our world would wither and die".&nbsp;</p>


A man in his early 20s who severely injured acclaimed author Salman Rushdie in August 2022 in western New York now faces a new charge of supporting Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based and Iran-back militant-political group that the US describes as a terrorist group.

A man in his early 20s who severely injured acclaimed author Salman Rushdie in August 2022 in western New York now faces a new charge of supporting Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based and Iran-back militant-political group that the US describes as a terrorist group. An indictment unsealed in US. District Court in Buffalo on Wednesday (July 24) charged Hadi Matar with providing material support to Hezbollah, sometime between September 2020 and August 2022. The indictment, however, did not detail what evidence linked Matar to the group. The federal charge comes after Matar earlier this month rejected an offer by state prosecutors to recommend a shorter prison sentence if he agreed to plead guilty in Chautauqua County Court, where he is charged with attempted murder and assault. Matar, 26, is imprisoned without bail since the 2022 attack. On August 12, 2022, Matar stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times for about 27 seconds, as the acclaimed writer was on-stage about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. Knife wounds blinded Rushdie in one eye. The event moderator, Henry Reese, was also wounded. Also read | Salman Rushdie's 'Knife' cuts open an empowering defence of free speech After recovering from the wounds following weeks of rehabilitation, Rushdie wrote down the details of the attack in an intimate memoir 'Knife, Meditations After An Attempted Murder'. The Booker Prize-winning author described his would-be assassin with a single letter: A. The knife attack on Rushdie came over 33 years after that Valentine's Day of 1989, when Iran's then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared his novel 'The Satanic Verses' blasphemous and issued a fatwa ordering his execution and "all those involved in its publication." Also watch | WION Wideangle | Salman Rushdie attack: The World of Fatwas, decoded × In the book, Rushdie challenges the very orthodoxy that filled 'A.' with hatred vile enough that he nearly killed Rushdie for purportedly being "disingenuous". Rushdie defends an artist's and art's right to exist because, without art, "our ability to think, to see freshly, and to renew our world would wither and die".

Salman Rushdie’s would be-assassin charged with supporting terror group Hezbollah

<p>The person who was scheduled to conduct an interview with Salman Rushdie in New York State just before the renowned author was attacked stated on Sunday that he initially believed someone was playing a cruel joke before being startled into reality when he saw blood.</p>

<p>Rushdie was stabbed in the neck and abdomen on Friday by an assailant who stormed the stage of a literary event; Henry Reese, the president of the nonprofit organisation City of Asylum, was also hurt; he recalled taking a few seconds to realise what was happening.</p>

<p>"It was very difficult to understand. It looked like a sort of bad prank and it didn't have any sense of reality," Reese, 73, told CNN.</p>

<p>"Then when there was blood behind him, it became real."</p>

<p>Reese declined to share specifics of the incident when he made an appearance on the network on Sunday with a big bandage covering his bruised and swollen right eye.</p>

<p><strong>Also read </strong>|&nbsp;<meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satan-on-the-way-to-hell-iranian-hardline-newspapers-praise-attack-on-salman-rushdie-506624">'Satan on the way to hell': Iranian hardline newspapers praise attack on Salman Rushdie</a></p>

<p>However, he claimed that when a man sprinted onstage, he believed it was a "poor reference" to the religious order that Iran's authorities had issued asking for Muslims to kill Rushdie and "not that it was a serious attack."</p>

<p>Staff members and other audience members wrestled the alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, to the ground before taking him into jail.</p>

<p>After Iranian leaders begged for his murder because of how he depicted Islam and the Prophet Mohammed in his book "The Satanic Verses," Rushdie spent years living under police protection.</p>

<p><strong>Also read </strong>|&nbsp;<meta charset="utf-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment-news/dont-worry-you-are-next-jk-rowling-receives-death-threat-after-attack-on-salman-rushdie-506641">'Don’t worry you are next': JK Rowling receives death threat after attack on Salman Rushdie</a></p>

<p>Reese claimed that he was going to talk to Rushdie about the City of Asylum initiative, which aims to defend free speech and was started by Reese after attending a motivational speech by Rushdie in 1997.</p>

<p>"That is the grim sort of irony -- or maybe intention -- to not only assault his body, but to assault everything that he represented," Reese said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Salman Rushdie's attacker appears in court, pleads not guilty</strong></p>

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The person who was scheduled to conduct an interview with Salman Rushdie in New York State just before the renowned author was attacked stated on Sunday that he initially believed someone was playing a cruel joke before being startled into reality when he saw blood.

The person who was scheduled to conduct an interview with Salman Rushdie in New York State just before the renowned author was attacked stated on Sunday that he initially believed someone was playing a cruel joke before being startled into reality when he saw blood. Rushdie was stabbed in the neck and abdomen on Friday by an assailant who stormed the stage of a literary event; Henry Reese, the president of the nonprofit organisation City of Asylum, was also hurt; he recalled taking a few seconds to realise what was happening. "It was very difficult to understand. It looked like a sort of bad prank and it didn't have any sense of reality," Reese, 73, told CNN. "Then when there was blood behind him, it became real." Reese declined to share specifics of the incident when he made an appearance on the network on Sunday with a big bandage covering his bruised and swollen right eye. Also read | 'Satan on the way to hell': Iranian hardline newspapers praise attack on Salman Rushdie However, he claimed that when a man sprinted onstage, he believed it was a "poor reference" to the religious order that Iran's authorities had issued asking for Muslims to kill Rushdie and "not that it was a serious attack." Staff members and other audience members wrestled the alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, to the ground before taking him into jail. After Iranian leaders begged for his murder because of how he depicted Islam and the Prophet Mohammed in his book "The Satanic Verses," Rushdie spent years living under police protection. Also read | 'Don’t worry you are next': JK Rowling receives death threat after attack on Salman Rushdie Reese claimed that he was going to talk to Rushdie about the City of Asylum initiative, which aims to defend free speech and was started by Reese after attending a motivational speech by Rushdie in 1997. "That is the grim sort of irony -- or maybe intention -- to not only assault his body, but to assault everything that he represented," Reese said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH | Salman Rushdie's attacker appears in court, pleads not guilty

Salman Rushdie's event host thought attack was 'bad prank'

<p>British author JK Rowling&nbsp;received a death threat after she posted a message on Twitter denouncing the attack on Salman Rushdie.</p>

<p>Rowling said: "Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok." The author then posted screenshots of her replies after a Twitter user threatened her saying: "Don’t worry, you are next."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterSupport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TwitterSupport</a> any chance of some support? <a href="https://t.co/AoeCzmTKaU">pic.twitter.com/AoeCzmTKaU</a></p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1558438465284481024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rowling while raising safety concerns reported the matter to @TwitterSupport saying: "Any chance of some support?"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To all sending supportive messages: thank you 💕<br />
Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).</p>
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1558446312827256832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satan-on-the-way-to-hell-iranian-hardline-newspapers-praise-attack-on-salman-rushdie-506624">Also Read:&nbsp;Iranian hardline newspapers praise attack on Salman Rushdie</a></p>

<p>Reports say police are now investigating the death threat to&nbsp;Rowling. Meanwhile, Salman Rushdie remained hospitalised on Saturday after undergoing emergency surgery. Rushdie's book agent Andrew Wylie had said he is likely to lose an eye.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Rushdie on ventilator after a stabbing attack</strong></p>

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<p>President Joe Biden also condemned the "vicious" attack. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wished the India-born writer a speedy recovery&nbsp;and said: "No one should be threatened or harmed on the basis of what they have written."</p>

<p>Police identified 24-year-old man Hadi Matar from New Jersey as the assailant. Hadi allegedly rushed on stage and attacked Rushdie with a knife stabbing him multiple times. Rushdie suffered injuries in the neck and abdomen.</p>

<p>Hadi has been charged with attempt to murder. Reports claim Hadi pleaded not guilty&nbsp;in a New York court.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>

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British author JK Rowling received a death threat after she posted a message on Twitter denouncing the attack on Salman Rushdie. Rowling said: "Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now.

British author JK Rowling received a death threat after she posted a message on Twitter denouncing the attack on Salman Rushdie. Rowling said: "Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok." The author then posted screenshots of her replies after a Twitter user threatened her saying: "Don’t worry, you are next." .@TwitterSupport any chance of some support? pic.twitter.com/AoeCzmTKaU — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022 × Rowling while raising safety concerns reported the matter to @TwitterSupport saying: "Any chance of some support?" To all sending supportive messages: thank you 💕 Police are involved (were already involved on other threats). — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022 × Also Read: Iranian hardline newspapers praise attack on Salman Rushdie Reports say police are now investigating the death threat to Rowling. Meanwhile, Salman Rushdie remained hospitalised on Saturday after undergoing emergency surgery. Rushdie's book agent Andrew Wylie had said he is likely to lose an eye. Watch: Rushdie on ventilator after a stabbing attack President Joe Biden also condemned the "vicious" attack. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wished the India-born writer a speedy recovery and said: "No one should be threatened or harmed on the basis of what they have written." Police identified 24-year-old man Hadi Matar from New Jersey as the assailant. Hadi allegedly rushed on stage and attacked Rushdie with a knife stabbing him multiple times. Rushdie suffered injuries in the neck and abdomen. Hadi has been charged with attempt to murder. Reports claim Hadi pleaded not guilty in a New York court. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Don’t worry you are next': JK Rowling receives death threat after attack on Salman Rushdie

After 'Satanic Verses' controversy, Salman Rushdie's life in hiding & beyond

<p>Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie who was attacked at an event in New York on Friday underwent emergency surgery and may lose an eye, reports said.</p>

<p>Rushdie, 75, was stabbed in the neck and&nbsp;the abdomen at an event in Chautauqua Institution near Buffalo city. After the surgery, Rushdie was put on ventilator support and was reportedly unable to speak.</p>

<p>Rushdie's book agent Andrew Wylie said the nerves in the writer's arm were severed and his liver was damaged in stabbing. Wylie informed Rushdie "will likely lose one eye" due to the attack. A doctor in the crowd at the event had attended to Rushdie quickly as emergency services arrived on the scene even as&nbsp;people rushed to the writer's aid after the attack amid confusion.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/salman-rushdies-attacker-who-is-hadi-matar-506379">Also Read |&nbsp;Salman Rushdie's attacker: Who is Hadi Matar?</a></p>

<p>The moderator at the event Henry Reese also suffered a minor head injury in the incident. The police are yet to find a motive for the attack. The assailant has been identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar. Police said Matar acted alone, however, investigations are still underway.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: India-born Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie attacked in New York</strong></p>

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<p>Meanwhile, French&nbsp;President Emmanuel Macron said: "Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. His battle is ours, a universal one. More than ever today, we stand by his side."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side.</p>
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1558220516720353286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "appalled" by the stabbing. Rushdie was earlier living in the UK but had shifted to New York. However, he continued to be a target amid threats and boycotts. In 2007, Rushdie's knighthood had sparked largescale protests in Iran. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's successor as Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said three years ago that the fatwa against the writer was "irrevocable."</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>

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Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie who was attacked at an event in New York on Friday underwent emergency surgery and may lose an eye, reports said. Rushdie, 75, was stabbed in the neck and the abdomen at an event in Chautauqua Institution near Buffalo city.

Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie who was attacked at an event in New York on Friday underwent emergency surgery and may lose an eye, reports said. Rushdie, 75, was stabbed in the neck and the abdomen at an event in Chautauqua Institution near Buffalo city. After the surgery, Rushdie was put on ventilator support and was reportedly unable to speak. Rushdie's book agent Andrew Wylie said the nerves in the writer's arm were severed and his liver was damaged in stabbing. Wylie informed Rushdie "will likely lose one eye" due to the attack. A doctor in the crowd at the event had attended to Rushdie quickly as emergency services arrived on the scene even as people rushed to the writer's aid after the attack amid confusion. Also Read | Salman Rushdie's attacker: Who is Hadi Matar? The moderator at the event Henry Reese also suffered a minor head injury in the incident. The police are yet to find a motive for the attack. The assailant has been identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar. Police said Matar acted alone, however, investigations are still underway. Watch: India-born Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie attacked in New York Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. His battle is ours, a universal one. More than ever today, we stand by his side." For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 12, 2022 × UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "appalled" by the stabbing. Rushdie was earlier living in the UK but had shifted to New York. However, he continued to be a target amid threats and boycotts. In 2007, Rushdie's knighthood had sparked largescale protests in Iran. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's successor as Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said three years ago that the fatwa against the writer was "irrevocable." (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Salman Rushdie on ventilator after surgery; may lose an eye, unable to speak

<p>As writer Salman Rushdie battles for his life on ventilator support in a New York hospital, police on Friday identified the attacker as 24-year-old Hadi Matar from New Jersey.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police said Rushdie,75, was stabbed in the neck and the abdomen. He was immediately administered emergency medical care. Rushdie was attending an event in Chautauqua Institution near Buffalo city when the attack took place. The India-born writer&nbsp;was immediately airlifted to a hospital. Health officials say the writer could lose an eye.</p>

<p><strong>Who is Hadi Matar?</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-identify-man-who-stabbed-salman-rushdie-suspect-has-sympathies-toward-iranian-government-506375">Also Read:&nbsp;Salman Rushdie on ventilator after attack</a></p>

<p>Reports say Matar ran onto the stage where Rushdie was seated and stabbed him repeatedly before he was subdued. Matar lives in Fairfield, New Jersey. New York police said Matar’s motive remained unclear.</p>

<p>Reports say police have begun searching Matar's residence in New Jersey with very little known about the suspect so far. Matar was taken down as members in the audience reacted to subdue him amid shock and confusion at the event. Reports claim Matar was dressed in black and was wearing a black mask.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Salman Rushdie attacked in New York</strong></p>

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<p>Matar is currently in police custody and hasn't been charged yet as police continue their investigation. New York Police and FBI together are investigating the case. Reports claim Hadi Matar had sympathies towards Iran and reportedly had a Facebook page with a photo of Ayatollah Khomeini who had issued a Fatwa against the writer in 1989 after the book "The Satanic Verses" was published.</p>

<p><strong>What is the controversy surrounding the Satanic Verses?</strong></p>

<p>Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie in February 1989 after the book&nbsp;"The Satanic Verses" was published. Khomeini claimed the book insulted Islam and directed his supporters to kill the writer.</p>

<p>Khomeini had announced a $2.8-million bounty for killing Rushdie. The British government moved quickly to provide the Indian-origin writer with top-level security.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>

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As writer Salman Rushdie battles for his life on ventilator support in a New York hospital, police on Friday identified the attacker as 24-year-old Hadi Matar from New Jersey.

As writer Salman Rushdie battles for his life on ventilator support in a New York hospital, police on Friday identified the attacker as 24-year-old Hadi Matar from New Jersey. Police said Rushdie,75, was stabbed in the neck and the abdomen. He was immediately administered emergency medical care. Rushdie was attending an event in Chautauqua Institution near Buffalo city when the attack took place. The India-born writer was immediately airlifted to a hospital. Health officials say the writer could lose an eye. Who is Hadi Matar? Also Read: Salman Rushdie on ventilator after attack Reports say Matar ran onto the stage where Rushdie was seated and stabbed him repeatedly before he was subdued. Matar lives in Fairfield, New Jersey. New York police said Matar’s motive remained unclear. Reports say police have begun searching Matar's residence in New Jersey with very little known about the suspect so far. Matar was taken down as members in the audience reacted to subdue him amid shock and confusion at the event. Reports claim Matar was dressed in black and was wearing a black mask. Watch: Salman Rushdie attacked in New York Matar is currently in police custody and hasn't been charged yet as police continue their investigation. New York Police and FBI together are investigating the case. Reports claim Hadi Matar had sympathies towards Iran and reportedly had a Facebook page with a photo of Ayatollah Khomeini who had issued a Fatwa against the writer in 1989 after the book "The Satanic Verses" was published. What is the controversy surrounding the Satanic Verses? Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie in February 1989 after the book "The Satanic Verses" was published. Khomeini claimed the book insulted Islam and directed his supporters to kill the writer. Khomeini had announced a $2.8-million bounty for killing Rushdie. The British government moved quickly to provide the Indian-origin writer with top-level security. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Salman Rushdie's attacker: Who is Hadi Matar?