Terrorism

July 30 (UPI) — A federal jury has convicted the New Jersey man who attempted to murder writer Salman Rushdie on additional terrorism-related charges, including attempting to provide material support to the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah.

Hadi Matar of Fairview, N.J., was sentenced to 25 years in prison in a state court in May 2025 for trying to kill Rushdie on Aug. 12, 2022.

Matar rushed the stage and stabbed the India-born writer at New York’s Chautauqua Institution in Mayville, N.Y., before being subdued by audience members and taken into police custody. Rushdie lost vision in his right eye and suffered nerve damage as a result of the attack.

A federal jury in the Western District of New York on Wednesday convicted Matar on charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, engaging in an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and providing material support to terrorists. Matar faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on the most serious charge when sentenced on Nov. 3.

“Hadi Matar, who was born and raised in the United States, chose to align his values with the terroristic values of the leaders of Iran, which often promote violence, and in this case, the call for murder,” U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York Michael DiGiacomo said in a statement.

“The defendant spent months planning and preparing to carry out what he hoped would be the execution of Salman Rushdie and possibly follow in the footsteps of martyrs he admired. Instead, his attempted act of terror failed, and Salman Rushdie survived, thanks to courageous members of the public and law enforcement, who saved Rushdie and captured Matar.”

The trial began July 22, and Rushdie, 79, testified.

DiGiacomo said Rushdie answered every question asked of him by the defense and prosecutors.

“It was very powerful,” DiGiacomo said.

“And at the end, at some point, Mr. Rushdie removed his glasses so the jury could see the extent of the injury to his eye that he no longer has vision it.”

Prosecutors said Matar was attempting to carry out the orders of Iran’s late spiritual leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who in 1989 called for Rushdie’s murder after the publication of his award-winning novel The Satanic Verses on the grounds that it was blasphemous to Islam.

The fatwa was reaffirmed in 2017 by Khomeini’s successor, Ali Khamenei, and endorsed by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah was killed Sept. 27, 2024, in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, while Khamenei was killed Feb. 28 in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

Federal prosecutors said during the trial that Matar had spent more than a year researching the fatwa before deciding to try to kill Rushdie and discussed it with people in Iran, Australia and Canada.

According to the Justice Department, Matar had surrounded himself with Hezbollah symbols ahead of the attack and had traveled to the institution that day with a false driver’s license bearing the name Hassan Mughniyeh, with Hassan being Nasrallah’s first name and Mughniyeh being the surname of Hezbollah’s former external security organization head, Imad Mughniyeh.

DiGiacomo told reporters following the conviction that ahead of the attack, Matar traveled by bus from New Jersey to Buffalo, then traveled toward the Chautauqua Institution.

On the morning of the attack, Matar visited a website run by Hezbollah and took screenshots of Hezbollah operatives who had died that month.

“The evidence presented in the trial showed that this attack was not spontaneous. It was deliberate. It was research. It was planned. It was motivated by violent extremist ideology,” Alan Davis, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Buffalo field office, said during the press conference.

“For more than a year, the defendant researched a decades-old fatwa, communicated with individuals overseas about carrying it out and embraced the propaganda and symbols of Hezbollah before traveling to western New York to commit this violent act.”

A man was convicted Wednesday of federal terrorism charges in the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie, the author who has faced a decades-old death threat over his novel “The Satanic Verses.”

A jury found Hadi Matar guilty of all the charges against him, including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism.

A message seeking comment was sent to Matar’s attorneys.

Matar, 28, is already serving a 25-year New York state prison sentence on an attempted murder conviction in the August 2022 attack on an amphitheater stage. The federal conviction carries a potential life sentence.

Rushdie, who was about to speak on writers’ safety when he was attacked, was slashed 15 times in front of a stunned audience. He was gravely wounded and lost the sight in his right eye.

Matar’s defense: No evidence of his state of mind

Prosecutors asserted that Matar was motivated by the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ’s 1989 call for Rushdie’s death because of “The Satanic Verses.” Defense lawyer Nathaniel Barone countered that the government had no proof of what was in Matar’s head.

Matar himself declined to testify. Rushdie did, telling jurors: “I can’t say what his ambitions or his aim was, but the wounds were dispersed across my body.”

Rushdie won Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for his 1981 novel “Midnight’s Children,” about his native India. “The Satanic Verses,” a novel of magical realism about the lives and dreams of two actors who survive a plane explosion, followed in 1988.

It drew critical acclaim in the United Kingdom but engendered protests around the Muslim world over what some believers saw as blasphemous suggestions about Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, particularly in a dream sequence. In the ensuing years, at least 45 people have been killed in riots over the book, a Japanese translator was stabbed to death, an Italian translator was attacked and survived, and the book’s Norwegian publisher survived a shooting.

Rushdie, who was born into a Muslim family, has said the dream sequence was just that. But he went into hiding for years, gradually emerging after Iran’s government distanced itself in 1998 from Khomeini’s fatwa, or religious edict.

“For two decades or more, I led a public life without a hint of trouble,” Rushdie testified at the trial in Buffalo, N.Y.

Yet the fatwa was never rescinded; indeed, Khomenei’s successor, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, indicated in 2017 that it remained in effect. An Iranian foundation has offered a bounty of more than $3 million for killing Rushdie.

Prosecutors: Matar’s messages showed him zeroing in on Rushdie

Matar repeatedly broached the fatwa with contacts in messaging apps in 2021 and 2022, according to exhibits shown in court. The messages showed Matar fuming that he felt Rushdie had attacked Islam and, by surviving, emboldened others to insult the faith. Matar alluded to a 2006 comment along those lines by the late Hezbollah militant group leader Hassan Nasrallah, the messages showed.

Born in the U.S., Matar also holds citizenship in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based. Prosecutors said that photos in Matar’s New Jersey bedroom and on his computer indicated his support for Hezbollah, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.

Matar aimed to fulfill the fatwa and “wanted everyone to know he was doing this for Hezbollah,” Asst. U.S. Atty. Timothy Lynch said in an opening statement July 22.

The messages showed Matar initially talked about wanting to “expose” Rushdie, then about killing him. In a private note to himself, he wrote: “We need to kill him ASAP,” according to Lynch. The prosecutor said Matar framed the planned killing as part of what he considered a jihad, or holy war.

By spring 2022, the electronic chats showed, Matar wrote that he had discerned where Rushdie lived and was tracking his public appearances, eventually pointing out his scheduled August 2022 talk at the Chautauqua Institution, a western New York arts and intellectual center.

As Rushdie was being introduced, his attacker climbed on stage behind him, then stabbed him 15 times as the audience gasped. Spectators and another speaker, Henry Reese, scrambled to aid Rushdie. Law enforcement officers, assigned to the event, arrested the attacker — soon identified as Matar — after civilians restrained him.

Rushdie published a 2024 memoir about the attack, then returned to fiction with last year’s “The Eleventh Hour.” The author, who was knighted by Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II, received a Dayton Literary Peace Prize lifetime achievement award in November.

Peltz writes for the Associated Press.

July 22 (UPI) — The man who rushed a stage to attack author Salman Rushdie will face federal terrorism charges in a trial that began Wednesday in New York.

Hadi Matar, 28, was found guilty of murder in state court last year and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the August 2022 attack that left Rushdie blind in one eye and without use of one hand.

The federal case will determine if the attack was an act of terrorism and if he was carrying out a fatwa against Rushdie, set by the former Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, or if it was for Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon, or neither.

Khomeini, then the ayatollah of Iran, created the fatwa in 1989 because of Rushdie’s novel, The Satanic Verses, published in 1988. Hardline Muslims considered the book blasphemous because of the way it portrayed the Prophet Muhammad.

The attack on Rushdie happened at the Chautauquah Institution in Chautauquah, N.Y., as he was delivering a speech for more than 1,000 people on writers in political exile. Matar rushed the stage and stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times.

Matar is a U.S. citizen of Lebanese origin who was raised in New Jersey and California. His friends and relatives said that after some professional and academic frustration, he became religious. His mother told The New York Times that she could not support him.

Rushdie, 79, wrote and published in 2024, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, a memoir about the attack and his recovery.

Matar had written in his notebook a list of pros and cons to attacking Rushdie. The Times reported that a page provided by prosecutors showed that he wrote one reason not to do it was: “Could make life worse. But I doubt that. It kind of sucks already.”

FORT WORTH, Texas — A demonstrator who shot and wounded a police officer outside a Texas immigration center last July 4 was sentenced to 100 years in federal prison Tuesday, while other protesters accused of having links to antifa were given multiple decades in federal prison.

Benjamin Song was convicted of attempted murder last March after prosecutors say he opened fire and wounded a police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado.

The seven other protesters sentenced Tuesday received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years.

“Our issue with this case has always been this isn’t a bunch of terrorists. This is a bunch of kids and young adults who really have a really big heart and really wanted their voice to be heard,” Philip Hayes, Song’s attorney, said outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth. “It was never intended that anybody get hurt. It was never intended that any shots would be fired.”

He said his client would appeal the sentencing.

“Song, aside from this day, has had an impeccable life. A former Marine. A good student,” Hayes said. “He had a lot of good qualities that were just ignored. The judge went ahead and gave as much as he could.”

One of the defendants, Daniel Sanchez Estrada, was convicted of corruptly concealing a document and conspiracy to conceal documents. Others pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists rather than take their case to trial.

Prosecutors say the eight are members of antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist organization that has become a target of the Trump administration. They have denied any affiliation and maintain they attended the demonstration to show support for immigrants inside the detention center.

President Donald Trump last fall signed an executive order designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization, even though there is no domestic equivalent to the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations.

Critics warn the case could have wide-reaching impact on protests given that organizations operating within the U.S. are supposed to be protected by First Amendment free-speech rights.

Short for “anti-fascists,” antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations.

Last week, federal prosecutors charged 15 people with impeding the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. They claimed the demonstrators were members of antifa who conspired against the federal government to block arrests and deportations by setting up blockades around government buildings and throwing chunks of ice at federal vehicles, among other actions.

Stengle and Marcelo write for the Associated Press. Marcelo reported from New York.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for 14 countries including Cyprus and Turkey

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for a number of countries including Cyprus and Turkey, in relation to the Middle East War.

The UK government has issued an update around ‘regional tensions’ in the two holiday hotspots, after the US and Iran announced a ‘memorandum of understanding’ this week. It also comes as a warning against travel to the UAE has been lifted, including the likes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Foreign Office hasn’t advised against travel to either Cyprus or Turkey throughout the conflict, which started earlier this year. At the time of writing, it only has one warning in place for a region in Turkey, which was unrelated to the conflict, warning against “all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism”.

Now, the government body has issued an update for Brits planning to head to Cyprus and Turkey for holidays in time for the peak holiday season.

The updated advice explains: “The US and Iran have announced a memorandum of understanding in relation to the conflict in the Middle East. The situation remains unpredictable and attacks could resume at short notice.

“Should hostilities resume, British nationals should:

• read If you’re affected by a crisis abroad – GOV.UK. This includes guidance on “how to prepare for a crisis” with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and “what to do in a crisis”
• follow advice from the local authorities
• sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts
• monitor local and international media for the latest information
• stay away from areas around security or military facilities
• keep your departure plans under review, and ensure your travel documents are up to date
• if you are advised to take shelter, stay indoors or find the nearest safe building or designated shelter. An interior stairwell or a room with as few external walls or windows as possible may provide additional protection. The greatest risk is from falling debris caused by intercepts. You are safest inside a secure structure

“Before the 8 April ceasefire, the Iranian regime had stated its intention to target locations associated with the United States and Israel. This included US or Israeli-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions. Iran has previously targeted civilian infrastructure across the region such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems, and airports.”

A UK court has sentenced four pro-Palestine activists to jail for a raid on an Israeli arms factory near Bristol in 2024. Palestine Action says their aim was to ‘dismantle drones and weaponry’ they believed would be used to kill people in Gaza.

Here’s everything UK holidaymakers need to know before heading there this summer, from entry requirements to taxi use and dress code

Turkey remains a firm favourite amongst British holidaymakers, with thousands of people flying out to the country each year. Anyone planning a trip there this year is strongly advised to familiarise themselves with all current travel guidance and any warnings in place.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides a wealth of information on its website, covering countries across the globe. It’s an invaluable resource for anyone with holidays booked or considering travelling abroad, reports Chronicle Live..

If you’re heading to Turkey, there are several important things to be aware of. We’ve outlined the key travel warnings and advice below.

The Foreign Office states: “If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.” It also cautions: “Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).”

Warning over Turkey- Syria border

The FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria due to ongoing fighting and an increased risk of terrorism. The FCDO states: “Fighting in Syria continues in areas close to the Turkish border and there is a heightened risk of terrorism in the region. Due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, roads in Hatay Province leading towards the border may be closed at short notice.”

Entry requirements

To enter Turkey, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 150 days beyond the date you arrive and at least one blank page. If you’re entering at a land border, ensure officials stamp and date your passport at the border crossing.

The FCDO says: “Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.” You can visit Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, for business or tourism purposes.

Political situation

The Foreign Office states: “Regular demonstrations and protests are currently taking place in Istanbul and other cities across Turkey. Demonstrations may become violent. The police response has included use of tear gas and water cannons.

“Events in Israel and Palestine have led to heightened tensions in the region and in locations across Turkey. Demonstrations continue to occur outside diplomatic missions connected to the conflict in major cities, particularly Israeli diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul. Avoid all demonstrations and leave the area if one develops. Local transport routes may be disrupted.”

Drink and food spiking

The FCDO warns: “Be wary of strangers approaching you to change money, or to take you to a restaurant or nightclub. If strangers offer you food and drink these could be spiked. Buy your own drinks and always keep sight of them.”

Holidaymakers are being cautioned that there have previously been instances of severe illness caused by alcoholic beverages containing methanol in popular tourist destinations across the globe. The FCDO says: “In Turkey, including Ankara and Istanbul, people have died or suffered serious illness after drinking illegally produced local spirits and counterfeit bottles of branded alcohol.

“Even small amounts of methanol can kill. It is not possible to identify methanol in alcoholic drinks by taste or smell. See Travel Aware Drink Spiking and methanol poisoning for information about how to reduce the risks. Seek urgent medical attention if you or someone you are travelling with show the signs of methanol poisoning after drinking.”

Taxis The website says: “Accepting lifts from drivers of unofficial taxis is highly risky. Find a registered taxi, note the registration number before entering and ensure the fare is metered. App-based taxis and pre-booked taxis are also widely available.”

Carry your ID

It is illegal not to carry some form of photographic ID in Turkey. Always carry your passport or residence permit. In some busy areas, especially Istanbul, the authorities may stop people for ID checks. There are also several police checkpoints on main roads across Turkey. Cooperate with officials conducting checks.

Dress code

Holidaymakers are also given guidance on appropriate attire. The FCDO advises people to “dress modestly if you’re visiting a mosque or a religious shrine to avoid causing offence”.

Stray dogs

The Foreign Office says: “Most towns and cities have stray dogs. Packs congregate in parks and wastelands and can be aggressive. Take care and do not approach stray dogs. If you’re bitten, get medical advice immediately. Rabies and other animal borne diseases are present in Turkey.”

Rules over sale of antiquities

Purchasing or exporting antiquities is prohibited. You could face a fine and a prison sentence of 5 to 12 years. Certain historical items found at local markets and in antique shops may be sold within Turkey but are forbidden from being exported. Always verify the status of antique items before making a purchase.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a warning to UK tourists

The Foreign Office has warned Brits against “all travel” to a particular country due to “risks and threats”. Travellers are advised to avoid Russia entirely owing to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

In an update published on its website on May 5 and reconfirmed on May 14, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated it “advises against all travel to Russia”.

It said: “FCDO advises against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine.” These include:

• Security incidents, such as drone attacks, and Russian air defence activity
• Lack of flights to return to the UK
• Limited ability for the UK government to provide support

The FCDO added: “There is an increased risk of British nationals being detained in Russia, including if the Russian authorities suspect you of engaging in or supporting activities against Russian law, even if activities took place outside Russia.

“Russia has a track record of targeting foreign nationals and holding them in detention as leverage over other countries. FCDO’s ability to assist you in these circumstances is extremely limited.

“There is also a high likelihood terrorists will try to carry out attacks, including in major cities.”

On its safety and security page, the FCDO noted that terrorist attacks have occurred across Moscow, St Petersburg and other Russian cities in recent years. This includes an attack at Crocus City Concert Hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow in 2024 in which 145 people were killed.

Limited UK government support

While the British Embassy in Moscow and British Consulate in Ekaterinburg remain operational, the FCDO cautioned that the situation “could change at short notice”.

“In-person UK government support in Russia is limited,” it stated. “It is very limited in parts of Russia because of the security situation and the size of the country, particularly in the North Caucasus.”

Should you find yourself in Russia requiring assistance, you can ring the FCDO’s 24-hour helpline on +7 495 956 7200 and select the option for consular services for British nationals. Alternatively, you can contact the Russian emergency services on 112.

It’s also crucial to be aware that your travel insurance may be rendered void if you travel against FCDO guidance. For further details, visit the FCDO website here.