The 75-year-old author was airlifted to hospital and underwent surgery hours after the attack on stage in Chautauqua, New York, on Friday. Zafar Rushdie’s son said Sir Salman remained in a “critical condition” but was taken off a ventilator on Saturday. “Although his life-changing injuries are serious, his usual sharp and defiant sense of humor remains intact,” she said in a statement. Sir Salman was stabbed about 12 times, including in the face and neck, the Chautauqua County District Attorney said. One of the wounds to his face caused a puncture to his eye. Another, in the abdomen, caused a puncture in the author’s liver. There were also stab wounds to the abdomen and chest area.
Zafar Rushdie’s entire statement
Following the attack on Friday, my father remains in critical condition in hospital and is receiving extensive ongoing medical care. We are extremely relieved that yesterday he was taken off the ventilator and extra oxygen and was able to say a few words. Although his life-changing injuries are serious, his usual sharp and defiant sense of humor remains intact. We are so grateful to all members of the public who bravely rushed to his defense and provided first aid along with the police and medics who attended to him and for the outpouring of love and support from around the world. We ask for continued patience and privacy as the family gathers at his bedside to support and help him through this time. Earlier on Sunday, in an update on his condition, his literary agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that Sir Salman had been taken off the ventilator, saying: “The road to recovery has begun. “It will be a long time coming; the injuries are serious, but his condition is moving in the right direction.” Speaking at Chautauqua on Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Holchul condemned the attack as “cowardly,” adding, “A man with a knife cannot silence a man with a pen.” On Saturday, the suspect pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. Hadi Matar, 24, appeared in court wearing a black and white jumpsuit and a white face mask, with his hands cuffed in front of him. Read more: The world reacts to the stabbing of Sir Salman Rushdie What do we know about the suspect? Why is Salman Rushdie so controversial? Image: Hadi Matar, 24, arriving in court. Photo: AP The attack Sir Salman, who lives in New York and became an American citizen in 2016, was due to speak to Henry Reese, from the organization City of Asylum, a residency program for writers living in exile under threat of persecution. They were expected to discuss America’s role as an asylum for writers and other artists in exile and as a home for freedom of creative expression. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:04 Witnesses rush to help author after attack He was admitted to the Chautauqua Institution when a man burst into the scene and began stabbing him. He fell to the floor as the suspect was tackled by members of the public and staff. Ms Holzul, who met some of them on Sunday, said she “could still see the trauma and pain on their faces. “They are trying to understand how this could happen,” he added. The Satanic Verses Sir Salman’s book The Satanic Verses was banned in 1988 in many countries with large Muslim populations, including Iran, after it was considered by some to contain blasphemous passages. Image: Protests in Tehran in 1989 over the publication of Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses. Photo: AP In 1989, Iran’s then-leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Sir Salman’s death. The author lived in exile for years but told a German magazine earlier this month that he believed his life had returned to “relatively normal”.
