The Assassination Attempt
In "Knife – Thoughts on an Assassination Attempt", Salman Rushdie writes autobiographically about the assassination attempt that took place in connection with a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in the state of New York in August 2022. Rushdie was stabbed, among other things, in the stomach, chest, and face in front of hundreds of witnesses in the audience. For a time, he hovered between life and death, lost his sight in his right eye, and suffered permanent damage to his left hand.
The Accused
The accused, Hadi Matar, an American citizen from New Jersey, was overpowered and arrested at the crime scene. In an interview from prison, he stated that he disliked Rushdie and simultaneously praised Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa against the author in 1989.
Two Trials
Hadi Matar now faces two separate trials. One concerns attempted murder and assault and is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 4, in Chautauqua County Court in the state of New York, where the jury will be selected. Salman Rushdie himself will be one of the first to be heard.
The attack was filmed, and the jury will be shown the footage and hear testimony from around 15 people during the trial, which is expected to last several weeks.
The second trial will be held in federal court in Buffalo and concerns terrorist crimes. According to the indictment, Hadi Matar attempted to carry out the death sentence that Khomeini issued against Rushdie in 1989. He is also suspected of supporting the Iran-backed Shia militia, Hezbollah.
Postponed Process
The trial in Chautauqua County Court has been postponed twice: first, so that the defense could read Rushdie's autobiography, "Knife – Thoughts on an Assassination Attempt", which serves as evidence in the case, and later because the defense wanted to move the trial to another location. According to the defense, it is impossible to find an impartial jury in Chautauqua County.
Born in 1947 in Bombay, India, into a Muslim family.
Grew up in the UK, educated in Cambridge. Now resides in the USA.
Worked in advertising before achieving literary breakthrough with "Midnight's Children" in 1980. The book received several literary awards, including the Booker Prize. Other titles include "The Satanic Verses" (1989), "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" (2009), "Joseph Anton" (2012), "Quichotte" (2020), and "Victory City" (2023).
After "The Satanic Verses", Rushdie was forced to live with constant protection for nine years. The book was burned and banned in several countries.
Rushdie's latest work, "Knife – Thoughts on an Assassination Attempt", was published in April 2024.
