哈迪·马塔因2022年刺伤英国作家萨尔曼·拉什迪而被美国联邦法院以恐怖主义罪名定罪。[1][2][3]陪审团裁定这名28岁被告违反所有指控成立，包括向恐怖组织真主党提供物质支持和参与跨国恐怖活动。[2][3]马塔已因州级企图谋杀罪被判25年监禁，此次联邦定罪可能导致终身监禁。[1][2][3]
2022年8月的袭击事件中，拉什迪遭刺15刀，失去了右眼视力。[1][2][3]检控方证明马塔受伊朗已故最高领袖霍梅尼1989年宗教法令的驱动，精心策划了这次攻击。[2][3]根据检察官提交的证据，马塔在私人笔记中表示需要"尽快杀死他"，并在2022年春季的电子聊天中表示已确定拉什迪住所并追踪其公开活动。[3]伊朗一个基金会为杀害拉什迪提供了超过300万美元的赏金。[3]
拉什迪在法庭作证，描述了被刺伤的遭遇。[2][3]陪审团裁定马塔参与向真主党提供物质支持的恐怖活动，真主党已被美国、英国及多国列为恐怖组织。[2]
A federal jury has convicted Hadi Matar of terrorism offenses related to his 2022 attack on author Salman Rushdie [2][3]. The 28-year-old was found guilty of providing material support to Hezbollah and engaging in transnational terrorism [2][3]. Matar had already been sentenced to 25 years in prison following state-level attempted murder convictions [1][2][3], and the federal conviction exposes him to a potential life sentence [1][2][3].
During the August 2022 attack at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York, Rushdie was stabbed 15 times and lost sight in his right eye [1][2][3]. Prosecutors presented evidence that Matar was motivated by a 1989 fatwa issued by Iran's late Supreme Leader Khomeini against Rushdie [2][3]. According to authorities, Matar tracked Rushdie's public activities, with electronic communications and private notes documenting his targeting of Rushdie beginning in 2021-2022 [3]. One message stated: "We need to kill him ASAP" [3]. Investigators also noted that an Iranian foundation had offered a bounty exceeding $3 million for Rushdie's death [3].
Rushdie testified in court, describing the violence he endured [2][3]. Prosecutors argued that Matar intended the attack to be understood as an act carried out for Hezbollah [3]. The jury determined that Matar's actions constituted support for a designated terrorist organization and participation in transnational terror activities [2][3].