Man who stabbed novelist Salman Rushdie found guilty of federal terrorism

The man who stabbed and partially blinded author Salman Rushdie at a speaking engagement in 2022 was found guilty on Wednesday of federal terrorism charges for the attack, which prosecutors said was incited by death threats over Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses."



Hadi Matar, 28, already serving a 25-year prison term on state charges of attempted murder for the knife assault, now faces a maximum penalty of life behind bars when he is sentenced on his federal conviction, scheduled for November 3.



A U.S. District Court jury in Buffalo, New York, deliberated for only two hours before finding Matar guilty on all counts — attempting to provide material support to Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization; engaging in terrorism transcending national boundaries; and providing material support to terrorists.



The verdict capped a trial that began last Tuesday and included prosecution testimony from Rushdie, 79, winner of the prestigious Booker Prize for his 1981 novel, "Midnight's Children." Neither Matar nor anyone else was called to the witness stand by the defense.