Hadi Matar convicted of terror offenses for attacking Salman Rushdie

Hadi Matar, a 28‑year‑old Palestinian American, was found guilty in a federal court of attempting to aid Hezbollah by participating in the assault on British‑Indian novelist Salman Rushdie. The jury concluded that Matar conspired with a co‑defendant to travel to New York, where Rushdie was stabbed during a public lecture in August 2022, an act the prosecutors said was intended to further the Iranian‑backed organization’s agenda and to enforce the 1989 fatwa calling for the author’s death. Matar was charged with attempted murder, assault, and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, and the court sentenced him to a term of 28 years in prison.

The conviction underscores ongoing concerns about transnational extremist networks targeting high‑profile cultural figures. Federal authorities highlighted that the case was part of a broader investigation into Hezbollah’s attempts to influence or direct violent actions on U.S. soil. The sentencing marks the culmination of a multi‑year legal process that sought to hold accountable those who orchestrated the attack, reinforcing the United States’ commitment to prosecuting terrorism‑related offenses.