Hadi Matar Declines to Testify in Federal Terrorism Trial for Salman Rushdie Stabbing

Hadi Matar, the defendant in the federal terrorism case stemming from the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie, will not testify or call any witnesses, his lawyer informed the court on Tuesday. Matar, 28, has pleaded not guilty to charges including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism.

With both the prosecution and defense resting their cases, closing arguments are expected Wednesday morning. Rushdie, the author of novels such as "Midnight's Children" and the controversial "The Satanic Verses," testified last week about the attack that occurred as he was about to give a talk on writers' safety at the Chautauqua Institution. He was stabbed 15 times on stage and lost an eye.

Prosecutors contend that Matar acted in response to a 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's former leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which called for Rushdie's death due to "The Satanic Verses." The novel, published in 1988, ignited protests across the Muslim world, with some believers deeming it blasphemous.

Matar, a U.S.-born American-Lebanese citizen, is accused by prosecutors of acting out of loyalty to Iran and the Hezbollah militant group. Evidence presented by the prosecution included private notes attributed to Matar, reportedly stating, "we need to kill him ASAP" and "become a warrior and just get it over with," which he allegedly began researching in 2020.

Matar also did not testify during his 2025 state court trial, where he was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. His defense attorney, Nathaniel Barone, has argued that federal prosecutors lack concrete evidence of Matar's intentions, stating outside the courthouse last week, "There’s no facts. There’s no hard evidence."

Barone's request to dismiss the federal case due to insufficient evidence was denied by the judge. If convicted in the federal trial, Matar faces a potential life sentence. Iran's government has denied any involvement in the 2022 stabbing, though a Foreign Ministry spokesperson at the time suggested Rushdie had courted trouble by insulting Islam.