Attacker of Author Salman Rushdie Faces Terrorism Charge

Hadi Matar, who injured Salman Rushdie in a knife attack, faces a new charge of supporting Hezbollah, a terrorist group. This charge comes after Matar rejected a plea deal from state prosecutors. Both his state and federal cases will proceed separately, with one trial set for October 15.

Hadi Matar, the man accused of severely injuring author Salman Rushdie in a knife attack last year, now faces a federal charge of supporting Hezbollah, a terrorist group. The indictment was unsealed in the U.S. District Court in Buffalo, although it didn't specify the evidence linking Matar to Hezbollah.

This federal charge follows Matar's recent refusal of a plea deal that state prosecutors offered in exchange for a reduced sentence. The rejected deal also required him to plead guilty to a federal terrorism-related charge, which hadn't been filed at the time. Both his state case, set to begin jury selection on October 15, and this new federal case will proceed to trial separately.

Matar, 26, who has been held without bail since the attack on Rushdie in 2022, faces additional scrutiny regarding his connections and motivations. While Rushdie recovers, questions continue to arise about the security measures that were in place for him, given longstanding threats against his life.

(With inputs from agencies.)