Salman Rushdie is blind in his right eye and has lost mobility in a hand after he was stabbed 15 times in New York.
Salman Rushdie is blind in his right eye and has lost mobility in a hand after he was stabbed 15 times in New York
The writer’s agent revealed his condition after 75-year-old Salman – renowned for his ‘The Satanic Verses’ novel, which triggered a decades-long fatwa calling for his death – was repeatedly knifed as he prepared to give a talk on artistic freedom at the Chautauqua Institute on August 12.
Andrew Wylie said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País: “His wounds were deep. He lost sight in one eye. He suffered three serious neck injuries and lost mobility in one hand because the nerves were cut by the stab wounds.
“And he suffered another 15 injuries to his chest and torso. So it was a brutal attack.”
But Andrew added: “Rushdie will survive,” though declined to say if the author was still in hospital.
He said about discussing the dangers of assassination in the past with Salman, in the context of John Lennon’s shooting: “The principal danger that he faced so many years after the fatwa was imposed is from a random person coming out of nowhere and attacking (him.)
“So, you can’t protect against that because it’s totally unexpected and illogical. It was like John Lennon.”
Salman underwent life-saving surgery after he was stabbed in the neck and stomach, suffering puncture wounds to his right eye and chest and a laceration on his right thigh.
Days before the attack, the writer had said his life was “very normal again” after years under the fatwa.
Hadi Matar, 24, pleaded not guilty to second degree attempted murder and assault charges when he appeared in court on August 18.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt said at the time: “His mission to kill Mr Rushdie is greater in his mind and outweighs his personal freedom.”
Tagged in John Lennon Salman Rushdie