Salman Rushdie stabbing case: US jury convicts Hadi Matar on terror charges

A Buffalo jury convicted Hadi Matar on federal terrorism charges in the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie. Prosecutors said the attack was planned to enforce a fatwa, underscoring the cross-border reach of extremist networks.Stock photo used for illustrationA US court has convicted an American national on federal terrorism charges in the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie in New York. A federal jury in Buffalo on Wednesday found Hadi Matar, 28, of Fairview, New Jersey, guilty of attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organisation, engaging in an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, and providing material support to terrorists.According to the case, Matar attempted to murder Rushdie on August 12, 2022, to carry out a fatwa calling for his execution over the 1988 novel "Satanic Verses". He now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on November 3 by US District Judge Richard J. Arcara, who presided over the trial.US Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said, "Hadi Matar, who was born and raised in the United States, chose to align his values with the terroristic values of the leaders of Iran, which often promote violence, and in this case, the call for murder." He said Matar spent months planning and preparing to carry out what he hoped would be the execution of Salman Rushdie and possibly follow in the footsteps of martyrs he admired. "Instead, his attempted act of terror failed, and Salman Rushdie survived, thanks to courageous members of the public and law enforcement, who saved Rushdie and captured Matar," he said.Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said, "Matar spent more than a year immersing himself in Hezbollah's violent ideology and preparing to act on a fatwa issued by Iran's Ayatollahs calling for Rushdie's murder." He added, "His brutal attack on Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism. With today's verdict, justice has been done, and Matar will pay for his crimes." Assistant Director Jarod Brown of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division said, "This was not an impulsive act; Matar conducted a violent attack in support of a designated foreign terrorist organisation and wanted to carry out a fatwa against the victim." Brown added, "With today's verdict, this assailant will pay the price of engaging in terrorism. The FBI and our partners are committed to bringing terrorists and all who support them to justice." According to evidence presented by the government, Matar spent more than a year researching the fatwa, including whether it was still valid, before deciding to carry it out while Rushdie was speaking at the Chautauqua Institution in Mayville, New York. Before the attack, he discussed the fatwa and Hezbollah's endorsement of it with individuals in Iran, Australia and Canada. He also made videos about the fatwa, with titles such as "Rushdie_Fatwa 2.0" and "Rushdie_Fatwa 1.6", combining videos about the fatwa with a 2006 video of Hassan Nasrallah endorsing it. Prosecutors said Matar surrounded himself with symbols of Hezbollah martyrs before the attack, travelled to the Chautauqua Institution using the name "Hassan Mughniyeh", and carried a false driving licence in that name. His false name used the first name of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's secretary general, and the surname of Imad Mughniyeh, the former head of Hezbollah's External Security Organisation. On the morning of the attack, Matar visited a Hezbollah-run website and took screenshots of the group's martyrs who had died in August.The case was investigated by the Buffalo Office of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. The conviction brings the federal terrorism case over the Rushdie stabbing to a close at trial, with Matar now due to be sentenced in November. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 30, 2026 07:06 IST