Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked Friday morning as he prepared to give a lecture in western New York. An Associated Press reporter saw a man storm the stage at the Chautauqua Foundation and begin punching or stabbing Rushdie as he was being introduced. The writer was driven or fell to the floor and the man was restrained. Photos taken by an Associated Press reporter show Rushdie lying on his back, with a first responder bent over him. Rushdie has a tendency to attack him during a lecture. Photo: Joshua Goodman/AP Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it blasphemous. A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death. A reward of more than $3 million has also been offered for anyone who kills Rushdie. The Iranian government has long since distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, but anti-Rushdi sentiment remained. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious institution increased Rushdi’s bonus from $2.8 million to $3.3 million. Rushdie dismissed that threat at the time, saying there was “no evidence” that people were interested in the reward. That year, Rushdie published a memoir, Joseph Anton, about the fatwa. More details soon…
