Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing novelist Salman Rushdie, is now facing additional charges of attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group Hezbollah.
A court filing unsealed last week alleges that Hadi Matar, the suspect in the attack on Salman Rushdie, may have had ties to Hezbollah and provided them with "material support."
The indictment, filed on July 17 in U.S. District Court in Buffalo, charges Matar with "knowingly attempting to provide material support and resources ... to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely, Hizballah." The alleged support took place between September 2020 and August 2022.
Suspect in Salman Rushdie Attack Faces Charges of Providing Material Support to Hezbollah
Matar, 26, was previously charged with stabbing Rushdie on stage at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, on August 12, 2022. Rushdie suffered severe injuries, including blindness in one eye, liver damage, and nerve damage in one arm.
Authorities believe that Matar's motive for the attack was a 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie's death over his novel "The Satanic Verses."
Suspect in Salman Rushdie Attack Faces Charges of Providing Material Support to Hezbollah
The new federal terrorism-related charge carries an additional requirement for Matar to turn over all electronic devices if he is convicted of any of the charges in the indictment. This includes several hard drives, a PlayStation 4, two cellphones, and a laptop.
In a separate case, Matar is also facing state charges of attempted murder and assault. Jury selection for those charges is scheduled for October 15. Matar has remained in custody without bail since his arrest.
Suspect in Salman Rushdie Attack Faces Charges of Providing Material Support to Hezbollah
The indictment alleges that Matar attempted to provide material support to Hezbollah, the terrorist group based in Lebanon and backed by Iran. Hezbollah is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
Authorities would have to confiscate several hard drives, a PlayStation 4, two cellphones, and a laptop in addition to several knives if Matar is convicted on any of the charges alleged in the indictment.
Suspect in Salman Rushdie Attack Faces Charges of Providing Material Support to Hezbollah
Both cases will now proceed to trial separately. The federal trial date has not yet been set.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
