Salman Rushdie attacker Hadi Matar charged with supporting terrorist group Hezbollah
CBSJul 26
Rushdie Attacker Charged With Supporting Militant Group Hezbollah
story
Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Hadi Matar, the man accused of attempting to kill author Salman Rushdie, has been charged with terrorism for allegedly acting on behalf of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, according to an indictment unsealed on Wednesday.
Matar, a 26-year-old American of Lebanese descent, has been held without bail since the 2022 attack, during which he stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times as the writer was onstage to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, leaving Rushdie blind in one eye.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Matar is a violent criminal who attempted to murder Rushdie on behalf of a violent terrorist organization. By attempting to carry out a fatwa, Matar committed an act of terrorism and should not just be charged with attempted murder but also with terrorism.
Establishment-critical narrative
There is clearly no link between Matar and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Though nothing justifies the brutal attack, it was prompted by Rushdie's book, which is a serious offense to the entire Muslim world. All evidence suggests Matar acted alone.
