- Hadi Matar was found guilty of federal terrorism charges on July 29, 2026, for the stabbing of author Salman Rushdie during a speaking event.
- Matar, 28, was convicted of attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, and engaging in transnational terrorism.
- The jury deliberated for just two hours before returning a guilty verdict on all charges against Matar.
- Sentencing for Matar is scheduled for November 3, where he faces a potential life sentence.
- Matar is already serving a 25-year prison sentence for an attempted murder conviction related to the August 2022 attack.
- Matar stabbed Rushdie multiple times, resulting in severe injuries including the loss of sight in his right eye.
- The attack was motivated by a fatwa issued by Iranian religious leaders over Rushdie's novel, The Satanic Verses, which has led to a decades-long death threat against him.
- Matar spent months planning the attack, including researching the fatwa and communicating with contacts in Iran.
Hadi Matar, 28, was convicted on federal terrorism charges for the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie, which left the author partially blind. The jury deliberated for just two hours before returning a guilty verdict on all counts, including attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah and engaging in transnational terrorism.123
Matar's attack occurred during a speaking event where Rushdie was to discuss writers' safety. He was stabbed 15 times, resulting in the loss of sight in his right eye and severe internal injuries that required emergency surgery. Matar had previously been convicted of attempted murder in New York state court and is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for that charge.5
Prosecutors revealed that Matar had shared propaganda videos and communicated with an Iran-based contact prior to the attack. His motivation stemmed from a 2006 speech by Hezbollah's chief, which endorsed a fatwa against Rushdie for his novel, The Satanic Verses. Matar admitted to reading only a few pages of the book before the attack, indicating a troubling disconnect between his actions and the literature he sought to condemn.78
“His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg. Matar's federal sentencing is scheduled for November 3, where he faces a potential life sentence.4
“Matar, 28, was found guilty of providing material support to Hezbollah and engaging in transnational terrorism, with a jury returning a verdict after just two hours of deliberation. His federal sentencing is scheduled for November 3, where he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.”
The Guardian
PennLive.com
