Opening Statements and Charges
Lawyers are set to deliver opening statements in the trial of , accused of attempting to fatally stab author in August 2022 at the in New York.
Matar, 27, faces charges of attempted murder and assault in state court, with additional federal charges related to terrorism and material support for terrorists pending. He has pleaded not guilty.
The Attack and Its Motivations
The attack left Rushdie partially blind and with permanent hand damage, occurring just before he was to speak on writer safety. Matar allegedly acted on a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death, endorsed by Hezbollah.
Matar's motivations include a belief in the fatwa's endorsement by Hezbollah and a personal history of less direct engagement with Rushdie's work. He has expressed views aligning with the fatwa's ideological underpinnings.