Man accused of blinding Salman Rushdie to go on trial

The trial of Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing Sir Salman Rushdie over two years ago, is set to begin on Tuesday after being postponed twice. Matar, 27, faces charges of attempted murder and assault following the August 2022 attack that left Rushdie blind in one eye. Matar has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection is scheduled for Tuesday at Chautauqua County Court in New York, where Rushdie is expected to testify and confront the defendant in court.

The trial of Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing Sir Salman Rushdie, was initially set to begin in January 2024. However, Matar's defense team requested a delay, citing concerns that Rushdie's upcoming memoir about the attack could be used as evidence, and they wanted time to review it. In October, the trial faced another delay after Matar's lawyers requested a change of venue, arguing that the high-profile nature of the case and the lack of an Arab-American community in Chautauqua County could lead to an unfair trial. The request was denied, and the trial will proceed in Chautauqua County as planned.

In August 2022, Rushdie, a British-American author born in India, was placed on a ventilator and spent six weeks in the hospital after being stabbed up to 10 times during an event in New York. Matar, then 24, allegedly rushed the stage and attacked Rushdie. The assault caused severe injuries to Rushdie's liver, left him blind in one eye, and resulted in a paralyzed hand due to nerve damage.

Rushdie, who is scheduled to testify in court, has expressed mixed feelings about facing his attacker. He told BBC Newshour that while part of him wants to confront Matar, another part feels indifferent about it. Henry Reese, the moderator of the event Rushdie was attending, was also injured in the attack.

In addition to the charges in Chautauqua County Court, Matar faces federal charges for allegedly providing material support to Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Western countries, Israel, the Gulf Arab states, and the Arab League.

Salman Rushdie, now 77, is a renowned writer who spent years in hiding after the 1988 publication of The Satanic Verses. The novel, which drew on the life of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, provoked strong backlash from some Muslims who deemed it blasphemous, leading to threats against Rushdie's life. The book was banned in several countries.

In response to the novel, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's execution and offered a $3 million (£2.5 million) reward for anyone who killed him.

Despite these threats, Rushdie continued to write, though he endured years of living under constant danger.