Salman Rushdie attacker Hadi Matar goes on trial, has pleaded not guilty

The trial has started on Monday in New York for a man accused of attempting to murder India-born British-American novelist Salman Rushdie, the NYT reported.

Prosecutors presented their case against Hadi Matar, who is accused of attacking Mr. Rushdie. Several witnesses described the chaos that followed the stabbing.

The man is charged with attempted murder. The prosecutor said in the opening statement that the attacker appeared “to be on a mission” as he rushed onto the stage to attack him.

The accused, 27-year-old Hadi Matar, allegedly attacked Rushdie on stage at the Chautauqua Institution. The famous author had just been introduced to the audience to talk about keeping writers safe from harm.

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Rushdie was stabbed multiple times in the head, neck, torso, and left hand. The attack left his right eye blind, and his liver and intestines were damaged.

A jury was chosen last week for the trial at the Chautauqua County Courthouse in Mayville, New York. Matar has pleaded not guilty.

Jason Schmidt, the district attorney, plans to call 15 witnesses to testify against Matar.

Rushdie is due to testify among the first witnesses at the Chautauqua County Court in New York. During opening statements, District Attorney Jason Schmidt portrayed Matar as being “on a mission,” emphasising the deliberate nature of the attack.

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Rushdie’s notable novels include “Midnight’s Children” (1981), which won the Booker Prize, and “The Satanic Verses” (1988).

Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses sparked controversy in the Islamic world.