A 28-year-old man, Hadi Matar, has been found guilty of federal terrorism charges related to the 2022 attack on author Salman Rushdie. The jury convicted Matar on all charges, including involvement in transnational terrorism. Matar is already serving a 25-year sentence in a New York state prison for attempted murder in the August 2022 assault on Rushdie on an amphitheater stage.
The federal conviction could lead to a potential life sentence for Matar. Rushdie, known for his book “The Satanic Verses,” has been under a death threat for many years. In August 2022, while preparing to discuss writers’ safety, Rushdie was viciously attacked in front of an audience, sustaining 15 stab wounds that resulted in the loss of vision in his right eye.
In 2025, Rushdie recounted the horrifying incident where he was repeatedly stabbed by a masked assailant on stage. He mentioned initially mistaking the attacker’s intentions for a punch before realizing the presence of a knife upon seeing blood. Rushdie described lying on the stage in a pool of blood, feeling immense pain and shock, while contemplating the possibility of dying.
Rushdie vividly recalled the attacker’s dark, fierce eyes and black attire during the harrowing assault. The author’s detailed testimony shed light on the traumatic experience he endured during the vicious attack.