Sir Salman Rushdie is “talking and joking” days after being stabbed multiple times.
The 75-year-old writer was attacked on stage at an event in New York state on Friday (12.08.22) and airlifted to the hospital, while his agent, Andrew Wiley, said the “Satanic Verse” writer has taken off and confirmed that the ventilator that was helping him breathe is communicating again.
Author Aatish Taseer wrote in a now-deleted tweet:
Andrew confirmed that the author’s notes regarding Salman’s condition were correct.
The agent previously clarified that it was “highly” likely that the writer would lose one eye after the attack.
He said: “Saruman likely lost an eye, had a severed nerve in his arm, and had his liver stabbed and damaged.”
Hadi Matar, 24, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder at an arraignment hearing on Saturday (13.08.22).
“Hadi Matar, who was responsible for the attack, is now being formally charged with attempted second-degree murder and second-degree assault,” Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said ahead of the hearing. said.
Police believe the suspect was acting alone. However, Schmidt confirmed that state and federal officials are considering whether additional charges can be added.
Witness Linda Abraham previously recalled the suspect continuing to attack Rushdie after he was detained.
She told The New York Times:
Rushdie has suffered death threats from Muslims for years after the publication of his controversial 1988 novel The Satanic Verse, which was considered blasphemous by many Muslims.
The fatwa calling for Rushdie’s assassination was issued by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the author spent almost a decade in hiding after its publication.