Salman Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and was lying in a pool of blood under his body after he was attacked at an event in New York on Friday, according to a doctor who helped the Mumbai-born author following the brutal assault.
Rushdie was attacked and stabbed in the neck on Friday while onstage in Chautauqua in Western New York, New York Police said.
"Rita Landman, an endocrinologist who was in the audience, walked on stage to offer assistance after the talk. She said that Mr. Rushdie had multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and that there was a pool of blood under his body. But she said he appeared to be alive and was not receiving CPR,” The New York Times reported.
Cincininatti resident Valerie Haskell described medics rushing to the scene after writer Salman Rushdie was stabbed by an audience member before a lecture in western New York on Friday.
"People jumped onto the stage from the audience to the point where there were probably 20 people on stage pulling the attacker off and keeping him contained," she said.
"They called for medics at that point and there happened to be at least four physicians in the audience who were able to come up on stage and help until the live squad arrived," she added.
Haskell's husband, Martin, was one of the physicians in the crowd who came to help, she said.
Charlie Savenor was in the audience and witnessed a man storm the stage Friday at the Chautauqua Institution and stab Rushdie as he was being introduced.
"Within 15 seconds, someone jumped onto the stage and began to beat him," Savenor said. "I can tell you that the the pounding that he took on that stage has reverberated among the people who were there in attendance among this really quaint, you know, community and is now reverberating, unfortunately, throughout the country and throughout the world."

'Pool of blood under his body': witnesses recount attack on Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and was lying in a pool of blood after he was attacked on Friday, according to a New York Times report quoting a doctor who rushed to his aid. 

Salman Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and was lying in a pool of blood after he was attacked at an event in New York on Friday, according to a doctor who helped the author following the brutal assault.

Salman Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and was lying in a pool of blood under his body after he was attacked at an event in New York on Friday, according to a doctor who helped the Mumbai-born author following the brutal assault.
Rushdie was attacked and stabbed in the neck on Friday while onstage in Chautauqua in Western New York, New York Police said.
"Rita Landman, an endocrinologist who was in the audience, walked on stage to offer assistance after the talk. She said that Mr. Rushdie had multiple stab wounds, including one to the right side of his neck, and that there was a pool of blood under his body. But she said he appeared to be alive and was not receiving CPR,&rdquo; The New York Times reported.
Cincininatti resident Valerie Haskell described medics rushing to the scene after writer Salman Rushdie was stabbed by an audience member before a lecture in western New York on Friday.
"People jumped onto the stage from the audience to the point where there were probably 20 people on stage pulling the attacker off and keeping him contained," she said.
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"They called for medics at that point and there happened to be at least four physicians in the audience who were able to come up on stage and help until the live squad arrived," she added.
Haskell's husband, Martin, was one of the physicians in the crowd who came to help, she said.
Charlie Savenor was in the audience and witnessed a man storm the stage Friday at the Chautauqua Institution and stab Rushdie as he was being introduced.
"Within 15 seconds, someone jumped onto the stage and began to beat him," Savenor said. "I can tell you that the the pounding that he took on that stage has reverberated among the people who were there in attendance among this really quaint, you know, community and is now reverberating, unfortunately, throughout the country and throughout the world."
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The Chinese air force is sending fighter jets and bombers to Thailand for a joint exercise with the Thai military on Sunday.
The training will include air support, strikes on ground targets and small and large-scale troop deployment, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.
China's expanding military activities in the Asia-Pacific region have alarmed the United States and its allies and form part of a growing competition between the world's two largest economies.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Thailand in June as part of an effort to strengthen what he called America's “unparalleled network of alliances and partnerships” in the region.
The Falcon Strike exercise will be held at the Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in northern Thailand near the border with Laos. Thai fighter jets and airborne early warning aircraft from both countries will also take part.
The training comes as the U.S. holds combat drills in Indonesia with Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Singapore in the largest iteration of the Super Garuda Shield exercises since they began in 2009.
It also follows China's sending warships, missiles and aircraft into the waters and air around Taiwan in a threatening response to a visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-ruled island, which China claims as its territory.

China sending fighter jets to Thailand for joint exercises

The training will include air support, strikes on ground targets and small and large-scale troop deployment, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

The Chinese air force is sending fighter jets and bombers to Thailand for a joint exercise with the Thai military on Sunday.
The training will include air support, strikes on ground targets and small and large-scale troop deployment, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.
China's expanding military activities in the Asia-Pacific region have alarmed the United States and its allies and form part of a growing competition between the world's two largest economies.
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US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Thailand in June as part of an effort to strengthen what he called America's &ldquo;unparalleled network of alliances and partnerships&rdquo; in the region.
The Falcon Strike exercise will be held at the Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in northern Thailand near the border with Laos. Thai fighter jets and airborne early warning aircraft from both countries will also take part.
The training comes as the U.S. holds combat drills in Indonesia with Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Singapore in the largest iteration of the Super Garuda Shield exercises since they began in 2009.
It also follows China's sending warships, missiles and aircraft into the waters and air around Taiwan in a threatening response to a visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-ruled island, which China claims as its territory.

The 24-year-old man detained in connection with the stabbing of Mumbai-born controversial author Salman Rushdie was sympathetic to "Shia extremism" and the causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a media report.
Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at the event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.
The New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar from Fairview, New Jersey while the motive behind the act is still unknown.
The suspect ran up onto the stage prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua and attacked 75-year-old Rushdie.
According to the law enforcement authorities, the author was stabbed "at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen.” Rushdie was rushed to a nearby local hospital where he underwent surgery, while the attacker was taken into the New York State Police custody. The interviewer with Rushdie was also attacked during the incident and he suffered a minor head injury, the police said.
Authorities were still looking into Matar's nationality and his criminal records, if any.
A preliminary review of Matar’s social media accounts by law enforcement showed him to be sympathetic to Shia extremism and the causes of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a law enforcement person with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBC News.
Though there are no direct links between Matar and the IRGC, law enforcement officers reportedly found images of slain commander Qassem Solemani and an Iraqi extremist sympathetic to the Iranian regime in a cell phone messaging app belonging to Matar, according to NBC News.
Soleimani was a senior Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. From 1998 until his assassination in 2020.
Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it offensive to Islam.
The author spent about 10 years under police protection in the United Kingdom, living in hiding after Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s execution.
A bounty of over USD 3 million has been offered for anyone who kills Rushdie, who has been a prominent spokesman for free expression and liberal causes.
Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States.
Rushdie was being introduced at about 10:45 am when the assault happened, CNN quoted a witness as saying The witness said he heard shouting from the audience.
He said a man in a black shirt appeared to be "punching" the author. The witness, who was 75 feet from the stage, did not hear the attacker say anything or see a weapon.
Some people in the audience ran to render aid while others went after the attacker, the witness said. State police said a doctor who was in the audience during the event rendered aid to Rushdie until emergency responders arrived.
New York Gov Kathy Hochul told reporters Friday a state trooper "stood up and saved (Rushdie's) life and protected him as well as the moderator who was attacked as well." One witness of the attack told CNN there were no security searches or metal detectors at the event.
The suspect in Friday's attack had a "pass to access the grounds," Dr Michael E Hill, president of the Chautauqua Institution, said in the news conference. Guests can purchase passes to attend programs, Hill said.
Hill defended the institution's measures, saying, "We assess for every event what we think the appropriate security level is, and this one was certainly one that we thought was important which is why we had a State Trooper and Sheriff presence there," he said.
Staniszewski said there was no indication of any threat to the event and the state trooper was there because the event was a mass gathering and because of a request by the institution.
Joyce Lussier, 83, who was in the second row of the amphitheater during the attack, said Rushdie had taken a seat on the right-hand side of the stage when suddenly, a man who appeared to be in all black "lurched across the stage and got right to Rushdie." "They caught him right away, he did not get off the stage at all," Lussier said of the suspect. "Shortly after, the crowd was asked to evacuate, " she added.
Another witness, a longtime Chautauqua resident who asked not to be identified, recalled a commotion on stage and a man making about seven to 10 stabbing motions in the direction of the author, who was in a half-standing position. She said she fled the open-air amphitheater "shaking like a leaf" in fear.

Salman Rushdie stabbing suspect sympathetic to Iran military: report 

According to a media report Hadi Matar was also sympathetic to causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The 24-year-old man detained in connection with the stabbing of Mumbai-born controversial author Salman Rushdie was sympathetic to "Shia extremism" and the causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a media report.
Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at the event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.
The New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar from Fairview, New Jersey while the motive behind the act is still unknown.
The suspect ran up onto the stage prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua and attacked 75-year-old Rushdie.
According to the law enforcement authorities, the author was stabbed "at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen.&rdquo; Rushdie was rushed to a nearby local hospital where he underwent surgery, while the attacker was taken into the New York State Police custody. The interviewer with Rushdie was also attacked during the incident and he suffered a minor head injury, the police said.
Authorities were still looking into Matar's nationality and his criminal records, if any.
A preliminary review of Matar&rsquo;s social media accounts by law enforcement showed him to be sympathetic to Shia extremism and the causes of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a law enforcement person with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBC News.
Though there are no direct links between Matar and the IRGC, law enforcement officers reportedly found images of slain commander Qassem Solemani and an Iraqi extremist sympathetic to the Iranian regime in a cell phone messaging app belonging to Matar, according to NBC News.
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Soleimani was a senior Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. From 1998 until his assassination in 2020.
Rushdie&rsquo;s book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it offensive to Islam.
The author spent about 10 years under police protection in the United Kingdom, living in hiding after Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie&rsquo;s execution.
A bounty of over USD 3 million has been offered for anyone who kills Rushdie, who has been a prominent spokesman for free expression and liberal causes.
Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States.
Rushdie was being introduced at about 10:45 am when the assault happened, CNN quoted a witness as saying The witness said he heard shouting from the audience.
He said a man in a black shirt appeared to be "punching" the author. The witness, who was 75 feet from the stage, did not hear the attacker say anything or see a weapon.
Some people in the audience ran to render aid while others went after the attacker, the witness said. State police said a doctor who was in the audience during the event rendered aid to Rushdie until emergency responders arrived.
New York Gov Kathy Hochul told reporters Friday a state trooper "stood up and saved (Rushdie's) life and protected him as well as the moderator who was attacked as well." One witness of the attack told CNN there were no security searches or metal detectors at the event.
The suspect in Friday's attack had a "pass to access the grounds," Dr Michael E Hill, president of the Chautauqua Institution, said in the news conference. Guests can purchase passes to attend programs, Hill said.
Hill defended the institution's measures, saying, "We assess for every event what we think the appropriate security level is, and this one was certainly one that we thought was important which is why we had a State Trooper and Sheriff presence there," he said.
Staniszewski said there was no indication of any threat to the event and the state trooper was there because the event was a mass gathering and because of a request by the institution.
Joyce Lussier, 83, who was in the second row of the amphitheater during the attack, said Rushdie had taken a seat on the right-hand side of the stage when suddenly, a man who appeared to be in all black "lurched across the stage and got right to Rushdie." "They caught him right away, he did not get off the stage at all," Lussier said of the suspect. "Shortly after, the crowd was asked to evacuate, " she added.
Another witness, a longtime Chautauqua resident who asked not to be identified, recalled a commotion on stage and a man making about seven to 10 stabbing motions in the direction of the author, who was in a half-standing position. She said she fled the open-air amphitheater "shaking like a leaf" in fear.
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The FBI recovered documents that were labeled "top secret" from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
Associated Press Justice Department Reporter Michael Balsamo describes the property receipt unsealed by the court that shows FBI agents took 11 sets of classified records from the estate during a search on Monday.
The seized records include some marked not only top secret but also "sensitive compartmented information," a special category meant to protect the nation's most important secrets that if revealed publicly could cause "exceptionally grave" damage to U.S. interests.
The court records did not provide specific details about information the documents might contain.
The warrant says federal agents were investigating potential violations of three different federal laws, including one that governs gathering, transmitting or losing defense information under the Espionage Act.
The other statutes address the concealment, mutilation or removal of records and the destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations.
The property receipt also shows federal agents collected other potential presidential records, including the order pardoning Trump ally Roger Stone, a "leatherbound box of documents," and information about the "President of France."
A binder of photos, a handwritten note, "miscellaneous secret documents" and "miscellaneous confidential documents" were also seized in the search.
Trump's attorney, Christina Bobb, who was present at Mar-a-Lago when the agents conducted the search, signed two property receipts — one that was two pages long and another that is a single page.
In a statement earlier Friday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were "all declassified," and argued that he would have turned them over if the Justice Department had asked.
While incumbent presidents generally have the power to declassify information, that authority lapses as soon as they leave office and it was not clear if the documents in question have ever been declassified.
And even an incumbent's powers to declassify may be limited regarding secrets dealing with nuclear weapons programs, covert operations and operatives, and some data shared with allies.
Trump kept possession of the documents despite multiple requests from agencies, including the National Archives, to turn over presidential records in accordance with federal law.
The Mar-a-Lago search warrant served Monday was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump's home earlier this year.
The Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying 15 boxes of records it retrieved from the estate included classified records.
It remains unclear whether the Justice Department moved forward with the warrant simply as a means to retrieve the records or as part of a wider criminal investigation.
Multiple federal laws govern the handling of classified information, with both criminal and civil penalties, as well as presidential records.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the same judge who signed off on the search warrant, unsealed the warrant and property receipt Friday at the request of the Justice Department after Attorney General Merrick Garland declared there was "substantial public interest in this matter," and Trump said he backed the warrant's "immediate" release.
The Justice Department told the judge Friday afternoon that Trump's lawyers did not object to the proposal to make it public.
In messages posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "Not only will I not oppose the release of documents ... I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents."
The Justice Department's request was striking because such warrants traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation.
But the department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies, and felt that the public was entitled to the FBI's side about what prompted Monday's action at the former president's home.
"The public's clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing," said a motion filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday.
The information was released as Trump prepares for another run for the White House. During his 2016 campaign, he pointed frequently to an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information.
To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must prove to a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime was committed. Garland said he personally approved the warrant, a decision he said the department did not take lightly given that standard practice where possible is to select less intrusive tactics than a search of one's home.
In this case, according to a person familiar with the matter, there was substantial engagement with Trump and his representatives prior to the search warrant, including a subpoena for records and a visit to Mar-a-Lago a couple of months ago by FBI and Justice Department officials to assess how the documents were stored. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.
FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of the inquiries and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged.
That's especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds.
In this case, though, Garland cited the fact that Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, "as is his right."
The Justice Department, in its new filing, also said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions.
The Justice Department under Garland has been leery of public statements about politically charged investigations, or of confirming to what extent it might be investigating Trump as part of a broader probe into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

FBI found 'top secret' documents during raid on Donald Trump's home

Associated Press Justice Department Reporter Michael Balsamo describes the property receipt unsealed by the court that shows FBI agents took 11 sets of classified records from the estate during a search on Monday.

The FBI recovered documents that were labeled "top secret" from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
Associated Press Justice Department Reporter Michael Balsamo describes the property receipt unsealed by the court that shows FBI agents took 11 sets of classified records from the estate during a search on Monday.
The seized records include some marked not only top secret but also "sensitive compartmented information," a special category meant to protect the nation's most important secrets that if revealed publicly could cause "exceptionally grave" damage to U.S. interests.
The court records did not provide specific details about information the documents might contain.
The warrant says federal agents were investigating potential violations of three different federal laws, including one that governs gathering, transmitting or losing defense information under the Espionage Act.
The other statutes address the concealment, mutilation or removal of records and the destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations.
The property receipt also shows federal agents collected other potential presidential records, including the order pardoning Trump ally Roger Stone, a "leatherbound box of documents," and information about the "President of France."
A binder of photos, a handwritten note, "miscellaneous secret documents" and "miscellaneous confidential documents" were also seized in the search.
Trump's attorney, Christina Bobb, who was present at Mar-a-Lago when the agents conducted the search, signed two property receipts &mdash; one that was two pages long and another that is a single page.
In a statement earlier Friday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were "all declassified," and argued that he would have turned them over if the Justice Department had asked.
While incumbent presidents generally have the power to declassify information, that authority lapses as soon as they leave office and it was not clear if the documents in question have ever been declassified.
And even an incumbent's powers to declassify may be limited regarding secrets dealing with nuclear weapons programs, covert operations and operatives, and some data shared with allies.
Trump kept possession of the documents despite multiple requests from agencies, including the National Archives, to turn over presidential records in accordance with federal law.
The Mar-a-Lago search warrant served Monday was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump's home earlier this year.
The Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying 15 boxes of records it retrieved from the estate included classified records.
It remains unclear whether the Justice Department moved forward with the warrant simply as a means to retrieve the records or as part of a wider criminal investigation.
Multiple federal laws govern the handling of classified information, with both criminal and civil penalties, as well as presidential records.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the same judge who signed off on the search warrant, unsealed the warrant and property receipt Friday at the request of the Justice Department after Attorney General Merrick Garland declared there was "substantial public interest in this matter," and Trump said he backed the warrant's "immediate" release.
The Justice Department told the judge Friday afternoon that Trump's lawyers did not object to the proposal to make it public.
In messages posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, "Not only will I not oppose the release of documents ... I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents."
The Justice Department's request was striking because such warrants traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation.
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But the department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies, and felt that the public was entitled to the FBI's side about what prompted Monday's action at the former president's home.
"The public's clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing," said a motion filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday.
The information was released as Trump prepares for another run for the White House. During his 2016 campaign, he pointed frequently to an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information.
To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must prove to a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime was committed. Garland said he personally approved the warrant, a decision he said the department did not take lightly given that standard practice where possible is to select less intrusive tactics than a search of one's home.
In this case, according to a person familiar with the matter, there was substantial engagement with Trump and his representatives prior to the search warrant, including a subpoena for records and a visit to Mar-a-Lago a couple of months ago by FBI and Justice Department officials to assess how the documents were stored. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.
FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of the inquiries and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged.
That's especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds.
In this case, though, Garland cited the fact that Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, "as is his right."
The Justice Department, in its new filing, also said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions.
The Justice Department under Garland has been leery of public statements about politically charged investigations, or of confirming to what extent it might be investigating Trump as part of a broader probe into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

The man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie on a stage in western New York is a 24-year-old man from Fairview, New Jersey.
In a news release, police identified the suspect as 24-year-old Hadi Matar.
Police said Rushdie was about to speak at a literary festival hosted by the Chautauqua Institution when Matar allegedly rushed on stage and stabbed him at least once in the neck and the stomach.Police have not determined a motive for Matar’s attack on Rushdie, though FBI has joined the investigation.The exact charges against Matar, who had bought a ticket to Friday’s talk, would also depend on Rushdie’s condition following the stabbing.
      
 

Salman Rushdie stabbed: all we know about lone suspect Hadi Matar

Police have not determined a motive for Matar&rsquo;s attack on Rushdie, though FBI has joined the investigation.

The man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie on a stage in western New York is a 24-year-old man from Fairview, New Jersey.
In a news release, police identified the suspect as 24-year-old Hadi Matar.
Police said Rushdie was about to speak at a literary festival hosted by the Chautauqua Institution when Matar allegedly rushed on stage and stabbed him at least once in the neck and the stomach.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/liveblog/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-undergoes-surgery-may-lose-an-eye-298">Salman Rushdie Latest NEWS LIVE Updates</a> Police have not determined a motive for Matar&rsquo;s attack on Rushdie, though FBI has joined the investigation. The exact charges against Matar, who had bought a ticket to Friday&rsquo;s talk, would also depend on Rushdie&rsquo;s condition following the stabbing.&nbsp;
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Salman Rushdie, the Mumbai-born author who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing 'The Satanic Verses', underwent surgery after he suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck. 
A man stormed the stage and stabbed Rushdie as he was about to deliver a lecture during an event in New York's Chautauqua Institution. 
The audience tackled the attacker and Rushdie was then treated onstage following the assault.
A video taken by a member of audience shows the attacker being led away by the police and some civilians
“State Police are investigating an attack on author Salman Rushdie prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. On August 12, 2022, at about 11 a.m., a male suspect ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer,” New York Police said in a statement.
“Rushdie suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. His condition is not yet known. The interviewer suffered a minor head injury. A State Trooper assigned to the event immediately took the suspect into custody. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene,” it said.
Several users on the social media site posted visuals from the event in Chautauqua, New York that showed emergency medical crews and other authorities on stage at the event where Rushdie was reportedly stabbed.
Chautauqua Institution, where at an event Rushdie was stabbed, said it is focussing on coordinating with police officials following the “tragic" incident.
 

Author Salman Rushdie undergoes surgery after being stabbed

Salman Rushdie, the Mumbai-born author who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing 'The Satanic Verses', underwent surgery after he suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck. 

A man stormed the stage and stabbed Rushdie as he was about to deliver a lecture during an event in New York's Chautauqua Institution.&nbsp;

Salman Rushdie, the Mumbai-born author who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing 'The Satanic Verses', underwent surgery after he suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck.&nbsp;
A man stormed the stage and stabbed Rushdie as he was about to deliver a lecture during an event in New York's Chautauqua Institution.&nbsp;
The audience tackled the attacker and Rushdie was then treated onstage following the assault.
A video taken by a member of audience shows the attacker being led away by the police and some civilians
&ldquo;State Police are investigating an attack on author Salman Rushdie prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY. On August 12, 2022, at about 11 a.m., a male suspect ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer,&rdquo; New York Police said in a statement.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/associated-press-reporter-describes-salman-rushdie-stabbing-1660327091156">Associated Press reporter describes Salman Rushdie stabbing</a>
&ldquo;Rushdie suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. His condition is not yet known. The interviewer suffered a minor head injury. A State Trooper assigned to the event immediately took the suspect into custody. The Chautauqua County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office assisted at the scene,&rdquo; it said.
Several users on the social media site posted visuals from the event in Chautauqua, New York that showed emergency medical crews and other authorities on stage at the event where Rushdie was reportedly stabbed.
Chautauqua Institution, where at an event Rushdie was stabbed, said it is focussing on coordinating with police officials following the &ldquo;tragic" incident.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/liveblog/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-undergoes-surgery-may-lose-an-eye-298">Salman Rushdie Latest NEWS LIVE Updates</a>

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.
While intially it was not clear whether the author was punched or stabbed, the New York State Police later issued a statement saying that Rushdie had suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck. 
The police also confirmed that attacker had been restrained. 
Rushdie's book "The Satanic Verses" has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous.
A year later, Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie's death. Iran has also offered over $3 million in reward for anyone who kills Rushdie.
(with AP inputs)

Associated Press reporter describes Salman Rushdie stabbing

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.

Associated Press reporter describes the attack on Salman Rushdie

While intially it was not clear whether the author was punched or stabbed, the New York State Police later issued a statement saying that Rushdie had suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck.&nbsp;

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.
While intially it was not clear whether the author was punched or stabbed, the New York State Police later issued a statement saying that Rushdie had suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck.&nbsp;
The police also confirmed that attacker had been restrained.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/liveblog/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-undergoes-surgery-may-lose-an-eye-298">Salman Rushdie Latest NEWS LIVE Updates</a>
Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous.
A year later, Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie's death. Iran has also offered over $3 million in reward for anyone who kills Rushdie.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/author-salman-rushdie-received-death-threats-had-3-million-bounty-1660324194161">Salman Rushdie stabbed: 'The Satanic Verses' and why the author lived under threat</a>
(with AP inputs)

Author Salman Rushdie who was attacked in front of a live audience in New York on Friday has always been vocal with his criticism of some of the Islamic practices. 
His book "The Satanic Verses" fetched him death threats from Iran in the 1980s as many Muslims consider it blasphemous. Since then, the book has been banned in the country. Late Iran leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a 'fatwa' to kill Rushdie.
Iran had also announced a bounty of $3 million for anyone who kills the authors.
The attack on Rushdie suggests the possibility of a death conspiracy against the author, though official word is awaited on the attack 
Irrespective of the threats, Rushdie continued to produce several nivel throughout the 1990s 
A British citizen by origin,  Rushdie has been in the US for 20 years

Salman Rushdie stabbed: 'The Satanic Verses' and why the author lived under threat

His book 'The Satanic Verses' fetched him death threats from Iran in the 1980s as many Muslims consider it blasphemous. Since then, the book has been banned in the country. Late Iran leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had issued a 'fatwa' to kill Rushdie

His book The Satanic Verses fetched him death threats from Iran in the 1980s as many Muslims consider it blasphemous. Since then, the book has been banned in the country. Late Iran leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had issued a 'fatwa' to kill Rushdie

The Satanic Verses, the book that came to people&rsquo;s mind when the news about the Salman Rushdie&rsquo;s stabbing broke.
After all, the India-born author has spent over 30 years of his life, including 9 years in hiding, living with death threats for that one book.
Rushdie&rsquo;s 1988 novel The Satanic Verses was viewed as blasphemous by many Muslims and they accused him of insulting certain basic beliefs of Islam.
The book was banned in Iran the year it came out and in 1989 the country&rsquo;s then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie&rsquo;s death. He also announced a bounty of $3 million for anyone who kills him.
According to Associated Press, at least 45 people were killed in riots over the book, including 12 people in Rushdie&rsquo;s hometown of Mumbai. In 1991, a Japanese translator of the book was stabbed to death and an Italian translator survived a knife attack. In 1993, the book&rsquo;s Norwegian publisher was shot three times and survived.
The death threats and bounty led Rushdie to go into hiding under a British government protection program from which he emerged 9 years later after the Iranian govt started distancing themselves from the fatwa.&nbsp;
But anti-Rushdie sentiments continued to linger. In 2016, Iranian state-run media outlets added $600,000 to the bounty on his head.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/liveblog/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-undergoes-surgery-may-lose-an-eye-298">Salman Rushdie Latest NEWS LIVE Updates</a>
Rushdie continued to write during hiding as well but under the pen name of Joseph Anton &ndash; chosen after his two favourite authors Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov.&nbsp;
In 2012, Rushdie published a memoir &lsquo;Joseph Anton&rsquo; about the fatwa and his life in hiding.&nbsp;

Indian-origin author Salman Rushdie, who lived a life under threats after the publication oif his controversial book on prophet of Islam, has been attacked at an event in New York. 
Videos circulating on social media show a crowd gathered on a stage where Rushdie, on whose head Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni placed a bounty, was to speak. 
The video shows a bunch of people reaching out to a person who is lying on the stage. 
The Associated Press in its initial coverage reported that the author of Satanic Verses was either punched or stabbed. 
Details about his condition were unavailable. 

Indian-born author Salman Rushdie attacked, suffers stab wound

Author Salman Rushdie attacked on stage in New York
Rushdie was about to begin a lecture at a university
AP: Rushdie either punched or stabbed

Videos circulating on social media show a crowd gathered on a stage where Rushdie, on whose head Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni placed a bounty, was to speak.&nbsp;

Indian-origin author Salman Rushdie, who lived a life under threats after the publication of his controversial book The Satanic Verses has been attacked at an event in New York.&nbsp;
The New York State Police confirmed that he suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. Details about his condition were unavailable.&nbsp;
The statement also said that the attacker has been restrained. New York State Police said the male suspect ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer.
<a href="https://www.editorji.com/liveblog/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-undergoes-surgery-may-lose-an-eye-298">Salman Rushdie Latest NEWS LIVE Updates</a>
Videos circulating on social media show a crowd gathered on a stage where Rushdie, on whose head Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni placed a bounty, was to speak.&nbsp;
The video shows a bunch of people reaching out to a person who is lying on the stage.&nbsp;
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/associated-press-reporter-describes-salman-rushdie-stabbing-1660327091156">Associated Press reporter describes Salman Rushdie stabbing</a>

Hot winds and wildfires created a fire like tornado prompting many to to term it a 'firenado' in the United State's California. Flames and smoke swirled upwards due to soaring temperature and created the firenado.

Hot wind and wildfires create 'firenado' in California 

Caught on camera: Watch how wildfire created 'firenado' in California

The bushfire on Wednesday at Gorman region and quickly spread to more than 100 acres of land and a nearby highway was shut down.

In California, hot winds and wildfires created a fire-like tornado prompting many to term it a 'firenado'. Flames and smoke swirled upwards due to soaring temperature and created the 'firenado'.&nbsp;
The bushfire started on Wednesday at Gorman region and quickly spread to more than 100 acres of land and a nearby highway was shut down.
Climate experts say the wildfires in California are increasing due to climate change. In this month alone, two persons died in McKinney Fire, which was California's one of the biggest wildfire this year, and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.&nbsp; &nbsp;
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/shelling-near-ukraine-s-nuclear-power-plant-un-issues-warning-1660280836243">Shelling near Ukraine's nuclear power plant; UN issues warning</a>

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Indian origin lawmaker Congressman Dr Ami Bera has been re-elected as chairman of the influential House on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Non-proliferation for the 117th US Congress.Bera, is the longest-serving Indian-American in the US House of Representatives. He will also serve on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights. Further, he will also serve as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea and previously chaired the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.In a statement, Bera&nbsp;said, he was&nbsp;honoured to be elected to serve again on the panel. He added, Asia continues to be the most consequential region for American foreign policy, as the nation's economy and national security are intrinsically linked to the region.

Indian-origin lawmaker Ami Bera back in key US Congressional panel

Indian origin lawmaker Congressman Dr Ami Bera has been re-elected as chairman of the influential House on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Non-proliferation for the 117th US Congress. Bera, is the longest-serving Indian-American in the US House of Representatives. He will also serve on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights. Further, he will also serve as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea and previously chaired the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. In a statement, Bera&nbsp;said, he was&nbsp;honoured to be elected to serve again on the panel. He added, Asia continues to be the most consequential region for American foreign policy, as the nation's economy and national security are intrinsically linked to the region.

Indian origin lawmaker Congressman Dr Ami Bera has been re-elected as chairman of the influential House on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Non-proliferation for the 117th US Congress. Bera, is the longest-serving Indian-American in the US House of Representatives. He will also serve on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights. Further, he will also serve as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea and previously chaired the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. In a statement, Bera&nbsp;said, he was&nbsp;honoured to be elected to serve again on the panel. He added, Asia continues to be the most consequential region for American foreign policy, as the nation's economy and national security are intrinsically linked to the region.

Salman Rushdie has been taken off a ventilator and was able to talk on Saturday, his agent has confirmed.The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was “off the ventilator and talking. Rushdie’s agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that information without offering further details.
Earlier on Saturday, Hadi Matar, the man suspected in Friday’s attack at a literary festival in upstate New York, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a brief court appearance where he was denied bail.Meanwhile, the US president Joe Biden hailed the writer’s courage and voiced horror at the attack on him.

Salman Rushdie taken off ventilator, able to speak

The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was &ldquo;off the ventilator and talking.

Salman Rushdie has been taken off a ventilator and was able to talk on Saturday, his agent has confirmed. The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was &ldquo;off the ventilator and talking. Rushdie&rsquo;s agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that information without offering further details.
Earlier on Saturday, Hadi Matar, the man suspected in Friday&rsquo;s attack at a literary festival in upstate New York, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a brief court appearance where he was denied bail. Meanwhile, the US president Joe Biden hailed the writer&rsquo;s courage and voiced horror at the attack on him.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-attack-suspect-charged-with-murder-pleads-not-guilty-1660442328512">Salman Rushdie attack: suspect charged with murder, pleads not guilty</a>

The foreign ministry of the Taliban dispensation in Afghanistan on Saturday said it welcomed India's diplomatic presence and promised to ensure security to the Indian mission in Kabul. 
India had withdrawn its officials from the embassy after the Taliban seized power last August following concerns over their security. In June this year, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a "technical team" in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
In a statement, Taliban said India's diplomatic presence in Afghanistan would result in the completion of "unfinished projects" that India had initiated and the commencement of new ones.
The statement said Afghanistan "welcomes India's step to upgrade its diplomatic representation in Kabul."
"Besides ensuring security, we will pay close attention to the immunity of the diplomats and cooperate well in endeavours," it said.
"The Afghan government hopes that upgrading diplomatic representation and dispatching diplomats would strengthen Afghan-India relations leading to the completion of unfinished projects by India and the commencement of new vital projects," the Afghan foreign ministry said.
Last month, Taliban supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada said no one would be allowed to use Afghan soil to launch attacks on other countries.
India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
In the last few months, India supplied several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
India has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country. 

India yet to restore full ties, Taliban assures security to mission in Kabul

The foreign ministry of the Taliban dispensation in Afghanistan on Saturday said it welcomed India's diplomatic presence and promised to ensure security to the Indian mission in Kabul. 

India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

The foreign ministry of the Taliban dispensation in Afghanistan on Saturday said it welcomed India's diplomatic presence and promised to ensure security to the Indian mission in Kabul.&nbsp;
India had withdrawn its officials from the embassy after the Taliban seized power last August following concerns over their security. In June this year, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a "technical team" in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
In a statement, Taliban said India's diplomatic presence in Afghanistan would result in the completion of "unfinished projects" that India had initiated and the commencement of new ones.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/taliban-fighters-fire-in-air-to-disperse-women-s-protest-in-kabul-1660406644776">Taliban fighters fire in air to disperse women's protest in Kabul</a>
The statement said Afghanistan "welcomes India's step to upgrade its diplomatic representation in Kabul."
"Besides ensuring security, we will pay close attention to the immunity of the diplomats and cooperate well in endeavours," it said.
"The Afghan government hopes that upgrading diplomatic representation and dispatching diplomats would strengthen Afghan-India relations leading to the completion of unfinished projects by India and the commencement of new vital projects," the Afghan foreign ministry said.
Last month, Taliban supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada said no one would be allowed to use Afghan soil to launch attacks on other countries.
India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
In the last few months, India supplied several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
India has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.&nbsp;

The 24-year-old man suspected to stabbing author Salman Rushdie has pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder and assault. 
Hadi Matar from New Jersey has been sent to a county jail in New York and he will be held there without bail. 
Matar was arrested after he allegedly rushed on the stage just as Salman Rushdie was about to deliver a lecture and stabbed him in the neck and abdomen. 
The author underwent surgery after the attack and is on a ventilator. 
Rushdie has suffered a damaged liver, severed nerves in an arm and an eye, according to a statement by his agent. 
The suspect was born in the United States to Lebanese parents and according to reports his social media activities show that he admired the Iranian military. 
Iran's Supreme Leader in 1989 had issued a fatwa against Rushdie for writing The Satanic Verses, a book considered blasphemous by many Muslims. 

Salman Rushdie attack: suspect charged with murder, pleads not guilty

The 24-year-old man suspected to stabbing author Salman Rushdie has pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder and assault. 

Hadi Matar from New Jersey has been sent to a county jail in New York and he will be held there without bail.&nbsp;

The 24-year-old man suspected to stabbing author Salman Rushdie has pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder and assault.&nbsp;
Hadi Matar from New Jersey has been sent to a county jail in New York and he will be held there without bail.&nbsp;
Matar was arrested after he allegedly rushed on the stage just as Salman Rushdie was about to deliver a lecture and stabbed him in the neck and abdomen.&nbsp;
The author underwent surgery after the attack and is on a ventilator.&nbsp;
Rushdie has suffered a damaged liver, severed nerves in an arm and an eye, according to a statement by his agent.&nbsp;
The suspect was born in the United States to Lebanese parents and according to reports his social media activities show that he admired the Iranian military.&nbsp;
Iran's Supreme Leader in 1989 had issued a fatwa against Rushdie for writing The Satanic Verses, a book considered blasphemous by many Muslims.&nbsp;
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/pool-of-blood-under-his-body-witnesses-recount-attack-on-salman-rushdie-1660381143360">'Pool of blood under his body': witnesses recount attack on Salman Rushdie</a>

Taliban fighters fired into the air Saturday to disperse a rare women's protest in the Afghan capital, days ahead of the first anniversary of the hardline Islamists' return to power.
About 40 women -- chanting "Bread, work and freedom" -- marched in front of the education ministry building in Kabul, before the fighters dispersed them by firing their guns into the air, an AFP correspondent reported.
Some women protesters who took refuge in nearby shops were chased and beaten by Taliban fighters with their rifle butts.
The protesters carried a banner which read "August 15 is a black day" -- in reference to the upcoming anniversary -- as they demanded rights to work and political participation.
"Justice, justice. We're fed up with ignorance," chanted the protesters before they dispersed.

Taliban fighters fire in air to disperse women's protest in Kabul

Taliban fighters fired into the air Saturday to disperse a rare women's protest in the Afghan capital, days ahead of the first anniversary of the hardline Islamists' return to power.

About 40 women -- chanting "Bread, work and freedom" -- marched in Kabul, before the fighters dispersed them

Taliban fighters fired into the air Saturday to disperse a rare women's protest in the Afghan capital, days ahead of the first anniversary of the hardline Islamists' return to power.
About 40 women -- chanting "Bread, work and freedom" -- marched in front of the education ministry building in Kabul, before the fighters dispersed them by firing their guns into the air, an AFP correspondent reported.
Some women protesters who took refuge in nearby shops were chased and beaten by Taliban fighters with their rifle butts.
The protesters carried a banner which read "August 15 is a black day" -- in reference to the upcoming anniversary -- as they demanded rights to work and political participation.
"Justice, justice. We're fed up with ignorance," chanted the protesters before they dispersed.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/taliban-arrest-afghan-fashion-model-for-insulting-islam-1654768282953">Taliban arrest Afghan fashion model for 'insulting' Islam</a>

K Natwar Singh, who was a Union minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government that banned Salman Rushdie's controversial book "The Satanic Verses", strongly defended the decision on Saturday asserting it was taken "purely" for law and order reasons. 

Ex-minister defends Rajiv Gandhi govt's ban on Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses'

Singh, who was the minister of state for external affairs when the book was banned in 1988, said he had told the then PM that the book could cause serious law and order problems as emotions were running high.

K Natwar Singh, who was a Union minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government that banned Salman Rushdie's controversial book "The Satanic Verses", strongly defended the decision on Saturday asserting it was taken "purely" for law and order reasons.
With focus back on Rushdie's book in the wake of the attack on him in New York, Singh, who was the minister of state for external affairs when the book was banned in 1988, said he was part of the decision and had told the then prime minister the book could cause serious law and order problems as feelings were running very high. Singh (91) rejected as "rubbish" the charge by critics the Rajiv Gandhi government's decision to ban the book was driven by appeasement towards Muslims.
"I don't think it (the decision to ban the book) was wrong because you see it had led to law and order problems, particularly in Kashmir. In other parts of India also there was disquiet," Singh told PTI.
"Rajiv Gandhi asked me what should be done. I said, 'all my life I have been totally opposed to banning books but when it comes to law and order even a book of a great writer like Rushdie should be banned'," the diplomat-turned-politician said. Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' is one of the great novels of the 20th century but the decision to ban "The Satanic Verses" was taken purely for law and order reasons, Singh asserted.
A massive controversy had erupted after the release of the book 'The Satanic Verses' as several Muslims saw it as blasphemous.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbing-suspect-sympathetic-to-iran-military-report-1660372693294">Salman Rushdie stabbing suspect sympathetic to Iran military: report</a>
Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa against Rushdie and called for his death.
Strongly defending the Rajiv Gandhi government's decision, Singh said, "I completely think it was justified because it was going to cause serious law and order problems as feelings were running very high particularly among our Muslim population." "I said, 'the entire Muslim world is going to flare up, we have a large number of Muslims and apart from that, what the book contains at this time, is not acceptable'," he recounted. Rushdie, who faced death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at the event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.
The New York State Police identified the suspect as Hadi Matar from Fairview, New Jersey, while the motive behind the act is still unknown.
The suspect ran up onto the stage prior to the speaking event and attacked the 75-year-old. The author was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery. Singh said he was "very distressed" over the attack.
"Here is a man 75-years old, not harming anybody and contributing to literature and then some rascal comes and nearly kills him and that too when he was making a speech in New York," he said.
Singh said Rushdie had left England for the simple reason that there were more Muslims in the UK than there are in America.
"There is no doubt that he is one of the great writers of the 20th century. So I am very distressed. I did not know him personally but I admired his Midnight's Children, I read it several times, it is high class literature," he said, lauding Rushdie for his contribution to the world of literature.

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