A federal jury has convicted 28-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, on multiple terrorism charges following his attack on author Salman Rushdie.
Matar was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to Hizballah, engaging in an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, and providing material support to terrorists. He now faces up to life in prison when sentenced on Nov. 3 by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
The conviction stems from an Aug. 12, 2022, attack at the Chautauqua Institution in Mayville, New York, where Rushdie was scheduled to speak. Prosecutors presented evidence showing Matar spent more than a year planning to carry out a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s execution over a novel the author published in 1988.
The fatwa was originally issued in 1989 by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, reaffirmed in 2017 by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and endorsed in 2006 by Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.
Evidence at trial showed that Matar actively researched the fatwa’s ongoing validity prior to traveling to New York. In the months leading up to the attack, he discussed the execution order with contacts in Iran, Australia, and Canada. Matar also produced videos titled “Rushdie_Fatwa 2.0” and “Rushdie_Fatwa 1.6,” which combined information about the religious decree with footage of Nasrallah’s 2006 endorsement.
On the day of the attack, Matar traveled using a fraudulent driver’s license under the name “Hassan Mughniyeh.” Federal investigators noted the fake name combined the first name of Hassan Nasrallah with the last name of Imad Mughniyeh, the deceased head of Hizballah’s External Security Organization. Investigators also found that Matar visited a Hizballah-run website on the morning of the attack to save screenshots of fallen members of the organization.
Justice Department officials addressed the verdict following the trial.
“Matar spent more than a year immersing himself in Hizballah’s violent ideology and preparing to act on a fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollahs calling for Mr. Rushdie’s murder,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “His brutal attack on Mr. Rushdie during a peaceful speaking event is a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism. With today’s verdict, justice has been done, and Matar will pay for his crimes.”
“Hadi Matar, who was born and raised in the United States, chose to align his values with the terroristic values of the leaders of Iran, which often promote violence, and in this case, the call for murder,” U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said. “The defendant spent months planning and preparing to carry out what he hoped would be the execution of Salman Rushdie and possibly follow in the footsteps of martyrs he admired. Instead, his attempted act of terror failed, and Salman Rushdie survived, thanks to courageous members of the public and law enforcement, who saved Rushdie and captured Matar.”
“This was not an impulsive act; Matar conducted a violent attack in support of a designated foreign terrorist organization and wanted to carry out a fatwa against the victim,” said Assistant Director Jarod Brown of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “With today’s verdict, this assailant will pay the price of engaging in terrorism. The FBI and our partners are committed to bringing terrorists and all who support them to justice.”
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