Salman Rushdie attacker faces terrorism charges

Hadi Matar, a 26-year-old US citizen of Lebanese descent, is accused of stabbing author Sir Salman Rushdie in 2022. Matar is charged with attempting to carry out a fatwa, which he believed was backed by the Hezbollah militant group, and providing material support to the organization. The charges were unsealed in a three-count indictment in Buffalo, following Matar's rejection of a plea deal. The incident occurred in August 2022, when Rushdie, now 77, was attacked at an arts gathering in New York state, resulting in the loss of his right eye's sight.