Salman Rushdie attacker convicted of terror offenses
Hadi Matar, the man already serving 25 years in prison for stabbing Sir Salman Rushdie, has been convicted by a New York federal court of additional terrorism-related charges, including providing material support to Hezbollah. Prosecutors argued the 2022 attack was motivated by a 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's religious leader calling for Rushdie's death, and that Matar acted after a 2006 Hezbollah speech urged the edict be carried out. The conviction, which could bring a life sentence, underscores the case's significance as one of transnational terrorism rather than an isolated assault.
During the Buffalo trial, Rushdie testified in graphic detail about being stabbed 15 times, including to his eye, which left him partially blind, and described "an enormous and expansive lake of blood" on stage. Prosecutors said Matar, 28, had plotted the attack for two years, while the defence argued it was not terrorism-motivated and questioned whether Rushdie should have anticipated backlash over his 1988 novel The Satanic Verses. Matar was convicted in 2025 by a state court of attempted murder; he has now also been found guilty of engaging in an act of transnational terrorism and supporting Hezbollah, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the US, UK and others.
In short
- Hadi Matar convicted of terrorism charges over 2022 Rushdie stabbing
- Jury found he supported Hezbollah, acted on 1989 Iranian fatwa
- He already serves 25 years for attempted murder; now risks life sentence
Explained simply
Sir Salman Rushdie is a British-Indian author whose 1988 novel The Satanic Verses provoked fierce opposition in some Islamic communities. In 1989, Iran's religious leader issued a fatwa, a religious edict, calling for Rushdie's death, which forced him to spend years in hiding and under heavy security.
In August 2022, Hadi Matar attacked Rushdie at a public event in New York, stabbing him repeatedly and causing severe injuries including partial blindness. Matar was arrested and later prosecuted for the attack. The case drew attention because of questions about broader motivations and context beyond the assault itself.
The significance lies in recognising the decades-long context in which this case unfolds. The 1989 fatwa created a standing threat that shaped Rushdie's life and public presence for over three decades, so when the 2022 attack occurred, it raised crucial questions about whether the assault was isolated or connected to groups potentially linked to enforcing the fatwa.