Rushdie faces assailant as ‘Knife’ cuts deep in courtroom encounter

By Guillermo Azábal

New York, Feb 9 (EFE).- Salman Rushdie is set to testify this week in the trial of Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing him during a 2022 literary event in New York.

The attack that left Rushdie blind in one eye and with a disabled hand is now the subject of a high-profile courtroom battle unfolding in Chautauqua, the town where it happened.

The attack, one of the most traumatic events of his life, is also the central theme of Rushie’s latest book, “Knife.”

Rushdie has lived under the shadow of death threats since 1989, when Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa placing a $3 million bounty on his head for publishing the controversial “The Satanic Verses.”

While the threats forced him into hiding for years, in recent times, they seemed to have faded—until the attack in Chautauqua.

The Attack

Matar, a 27-year-old dual US-Lebanese citizen from New Jersey, allegedly rushed the stage during a cultural event in the town of about 4,000 people, near the Canadian border.

He stabbed Rushdie up to 12 times, leaving the Booker Prize-winning author blind in one eye and unable to use one hand.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as the writer collapsed in a pool of blood. The entire attack, lasting 27 seconds, was caught on video and is expected to be played in court when the trial begins Monday.

Matar, who refused a plea deal and faces up to 25 years in prison, was subdued by event attendees and has remained in custody ever since.

In addition to state charges, he also faces federal terrorism charges for allegedly providing material support to Hezbollah, which the US designates as a foreign terrorist organization.

A Trial Shrouded in Secrecy

Jury selection concluded last week, with 12 jurors chosen from a pool of 27 candidates, all of whom acknowledged familiarity with the case but affirmed they could remain impartial despite the defendant’s strong religious beliefs.

Court officials have enforced strict secrecy around Rushdie’s testimony to mitigate security risks, while the Chautauqua County court has issued protective orders to prevent juror identities from being leaked.

“This isn’t a back alley event that occurs unwitnessed in a dark alley,” said Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt following a pretrial hearing. “This is something that was recorded. It was witnessed live by thousands of people.”

Meanwhile, Matar’s public defender, Nathaniel Barone, has argued for due process, unsuccessfully requesting the trial be moved out of Chautauqua, citing alleged bias from the town’s predominantly white population toward Middle Eastern people.

Rushdie’s Fight Against a Defining Moment

Rushdie, born in India and now a dual British-American citizen, is expected to share the courtroom with the man who changed his life forever.

“No matter what I have already written or may now write, I will always be the guy who got knifed. The knife defines me. I will fight a battle against that, but I suspect I will lose,” he writes. His book is likely to play a key role in the trial. EFE

gac-sk