“It looked like some kind of bad prank in any sense of reality, and there was blood behind it that came true.” Mr Rees, who was wearing a bandage over the black eye he suffered in the attack, said it took several moments for him to realize what was happening. The event he hosted on behalf of ‘City of Asylum’ was meant to support other writers, with less resources than Sir Salman, who were under threat. “And that’s the grim kind of irony – or perhaps the intent – to attack not just his body, but everything he stood for.” The alleged attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, was wrestled to the ground by staff and other audience members before he was arrested.
Matar appears in court
He appeared in court on Saturday where he pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault. Nathaniel Barone, a public defender, said Matar was very cooperative and communicated openly with him. Matar was born in the US to Lebanese parents who immigrated from Yaroun in the south of the country. Flags of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah were visible in the city along with portraits of political leader Hassan Nasrallah, Ali Khamenei, Iran’s current Supreme Leader, and Qassem Soleimani, the slain Iranian general. Matar’s father, who has returned to Lebanon, locked himself in his home in Yaroun, refusing to comment on the incident. In the US, Matar lived in New Jersey, frequenting a boxing gym in North Bergen, where members described him as quiet.
The event was criticized for security measures
Sir Salman has been living under a fatwa since 1989, imposed by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, following the publication of his book The Satanic Verses. However, in a recent interview with a German magazine, Sir Salman said the fatwa was a long time ago and his life was “relatively normal”. The Chautauqua Foundation, which hosted the event, has faced criticism for not putting security measures in place, such as metal detectors, as a precaution. According to CNN, they decided not to because they feared it would create a divide between the speakers and the audience. However, the foundation defended the arrangements. “We have worked with security consultants, local law enforcement, the New York State Police and the FBI and have implemented many of their top recommendations,” a spokesperson said. “We also talk about security procedures on a regular basis with colleagues at festivals, lecture series and universities and will continue to have these conversations to make sure we are following best practice.”
