Author Salman Rushdie testified on Thursday at the federal terrorism trial of Hadi Matar, the man convicted of stabbing him during a literary event in New York in 2022. The testimony came before a federal court in Buffalo, where prosecutors are seeking to prove that the attack was motivated by terrorism and linked to support for Hezbollah, a Lebanese group designated by the United States as a terrorist organisation. The proceedings mark the latest chapter in a case that drew global attention after the attack left the celebrated novelist with life-altering injuries.

Matar, a 28-year-old Lebanese-American, was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison by a New York state court after being convicted of attempted murder for the knife attack at the Chautauqua Institution, a cultural and educational centre in western New York. Rushdie was repeatedly stabbed while preparing to deliver a lecture in August 2022, suffering severe injuries that resulted in the loss of vision in one eye and damage to his hand and other parts of his body. Despite those injuries, the author has since returned to public life and chronicled his recovery in his memoir Knife.

The federal case differs from the earlier state prosecution by focusing on allegations that the attack constituted an act of terrorism. Prosecutors argue that Matar was inspired by the 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini following the publication of Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses. The book sparked widespread controversy in parts of the Muslim world because of its fictionalised portrayal of elements related to the Prophet Muhammad. The fatwa called for Rushdie's death, forcing the author to spend years under police protection and in hiding.

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Federal prosecutors have also accused Matar of providing material support to Hezbollah, alleging that investigators found content related to the Iran-backed Lebanese organisation during searches of his home. US authorities have designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organisation, and prosecutors contend that Matar's alleged ideological support for the group reinforces the terrorism charges. Defence lawyers have sought to challenge the government's assertions regarding motive and intent, while Matar has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.

Rushdie's appearance in court is considered a significant moment in the trial, as jurors heard directly from the victim about the violent attack that shocked the literary world. The case has renewed discussions about freedom of expression, religious extremism and the long-lasting impact of the fatwa issued more than three decades ago. The federal trial is expected to continue with additional witness testimony and evidence as prosecutors seek to establish that the attack was not only an attempted murder but also an act of terrorism under US law.

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