Authorities are still looking into Hadi Matar's nationality and his criminal records, if any.
Author Salman Rushdie is on ventilator and could lose an eye after he underwent surgery following a knife attack at a literary event in New York, US. The attacker has been identified as Hadi Matar, 24, from New Jersey.
Here are the 5 facts on Salman Rushdie's attacker:
- A preliminary review of Matar's social media showed him to be sympathetic to "Shia extremism" and the causes of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
- Though there are no direct links between Matar and the IRGC, investigators reportedly found images of Iranian commander Qassem Solemani, who was assassinated in 2020, in a cell phone messaging app belonging to Matar.
- Hadi Matar reportedly jumped up on the stage as Rushdie was about to give a speech at the Chautauqua Institution near the New York city, which holds arts programmes. Henry Reese, the interviewer, also suffered a head injury in the attack.
- Police believe Matar was "working alone". The authorities, however, are in the "process of obtaining search warrants for various items. There was a backpack located at the scene. There was also electronic devices".
- Hadi Matar is from Fairview, New Jersey. Authorities are still looking into Matar's nationality and his criminal records, if any.
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