A man who attempted to kill Salman Rushdie during a lecture in New York has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Hadi Mathal, 26, was found guilty in February of attempted murder. This horrifying incident occurred in August 2022 at the Chautauqua Institute, where Mathal ambushed the 77-year-old novelist in an effort linked to a long-standing fatwa.
During his trial, Mathal shouted pro-Palestinian slogans and insisted on his right to freedom of speech, labeling Rushdie a hypocrite. He received a 25-year prison sentence for attempting to murder Rushdie and an additional seven years for injuring a man who was on stage with the novelist. District Attorney Jason Schmidt stated that both sentences should run concurrently since the injuries happened in the same event.
The verdict followed a week-long trial, during which Rushdie recounted the attack in painful detail. He described how he thought he might die when Mathal, masked and armed, plunged a knife into his head and body while he was on stage speaking about writers’ safety. Disturbing video evidence showed Mathal approaching Rushdie from behind before launching his attack in front of a horrified audience.
Rushdie testified about the life-changing trauma he endured, revealing that he would have likely died if bystanders hadn’t intervened to stop Mathal. He displayed his injured right eye, which was blinded in the attack. The author also experienced nerve and liver damage as a result of the stabbing.
Rushdie detailed his challenging recovery in his upcoming memoir titled “Knife,” explaining that he spent 17 days at a hospital and over three weeks in rehabilitation following the attack.
Meanwhile, Mathal, who holds dual U.S. and Lebanese citizenship, is facing federal charges related to terrorism. Authorities allege he traveled from Fairview, New Jersey, intending to execute the fatwa against Rushdie. Mathal believed the fatwa, issued in 1989, had backing from Hezbollah and referenced a speech by the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of providing material support to terrorists and engaging in cross-border terrorism.
