A man already serving a prison sentence in New York for attempting to murder novelist Salman Rushdie has been found guilty on federal terrorism charges and could face life in prison.

Hadi Matar, 28, is currently serving a 25-year sentence for attempting to kill Rushdie in a knife attack in 2022. The attack occurred during a speaking engagement in New York and left Rushdie partially blind.

After two hours of deliberations on Wednesday, a New York jury found Matar guilty on all charges, including attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The US designates the Iran-backed group as a terrorist organization.

British-American novelist Rushdie was born in India to a Muslim family. His novel Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize. However, his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses (1988), sparked lasting controversy for passages deemed blasphemous to Muslims. In 1989, Iran's then-Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death.

Prosecutors argued Matar was inspired by Khomeini's decree. Evidence allegedly showed Matar angrily discussing the fatwa on messaging apps in 2021 and 2022. “His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg. Iran has denied involvement.

Rushdie testified during Matar's federal trial last week, speaking for nearly an hour about the assault. When asked if he believed Matar was motivated by the fatwa, Rushdie replied: “I had no knowledge of that. I have my suspicions.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com