Author Salman Rushdie is set to testify in the trial of Hadi Matar, who is charged with attempting to fatally stab Rushdie during a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater in New York. Rushdie, known for his books “Midnight’s Children” and “Victory City,” was attacked by Matar in August 2022, leaving him partially blind and with permanent damage to one hand. Matar, 27, of Fairview, New Jersey, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault. The trial is expected to last a week to 10 days, with jurors being shown video and photos from the attack.
Matar, who allegedly traveled to Chautauqua to carry out the attack, was reportedly motivated by a terrorist organization’s endorsement of a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death. The federal authorities have also charged Matar with terrorism-related offenses, including providing material support to terrorists. Rushdie had been the subject of a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 over his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which was considered blasphemous by some Muslims.
The trial is expected to shed light on the motives behind Matar’s attack on Rushdie, as well as the impact of the incident on the acclaimed author’s life and work. Rushdie’s detailed account of the attack and his recovery process has been published in his memoir titled “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.” The trial will provide an opportunity for the justice system to hold Matar accountable for his actions and for Rushdie to confront his attacker in a court of law.
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