A federal jury in Buffalo, New York, convicted Hadi Matar on July 29, 2026, on terrorism charges for stabbing author Salman Rushdie in 2022. The jury took about two hours to find Matar — a 28-year-old from Fairview, New Jersey — guilty on all counts. He now faces a possible life sentence (Al Jazeera).

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the verdict, confirming the conviction on charges related to the attempted murder of Salman Rushdie (DOJ OPA). The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, which published the announcement on its news page. The DOJ's National Security Division also featured the conviction in its press room.

In 2024, a grand jury — a group of ordinary citizens who decide whether there's enough evidence to bring serious federal charges — charged Matar with three crimes. He was 26 at the time (DOJ USAO-WDNY). The charges included trying to provide support to Hezbollah (a militant group based in Lebanon that the U.S. considers a terrorist organization), engaging in terrorism that crosses national borders, and providing support to terrorists (Al Jazeera).

The trial began on July 22, 2026. Salman Rushdie testified about the attack for the second time (AP News). Matar pleaded not guilty to the federal terrorism charges. He chose not to testify or call any witnesses in his defense (AP News).

The attack happened in 2022 on stage at an amphitheater in western New York, during an event hosted by a New York arts institute. Rushdie was partially blinded. Henry Reese, who was stabbed alongside Rushdie, co-founded the organization hosting the event (Reuters).

Before the federal case, Matar was already found guilty of attempted murder in a New York state court in 2025. He was also convicted of assault for stabbing Henry Reese (Reuters). He is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for the state attempted murder charge.

Prosecutors said Matar was inspired by a fatwa — a religious order — issued in 1989 by Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran's leader at the time, calling for Salman Rushdie's death. Evidence at trial showed Matar discussed the fatwa on messaging apps in 2021 and 2022. Iran has denied any involvement in the attack (Al Jazeera).

After the verdict, a top Justice Department official named John Eisenberg said "justice has been done" and called the attack "a chilling reminder of the global reach of Iranian terrorism" (Al Jazeera).

The broader context here is about how the U.S. government used two layers of charges against Matar. First, the state of New York convicted him for the stabbing itself. Then the federal government added terrorism charges that connect the attack to international networks. Think of it like a local police department charging someone for a robbery, while the FBI steps in to charge the same person with being part of a larger criminal syndicate. The state case covers the act; the federal case covers the bigger picture.

Eisenberg's statement linking the verdict to "the global reach of Iranian terrorism" gives the case a diplomatic dimension. It fits with the long-standing U.S. position that Iran uses proxy groups — organizations that carry out actions on Iran's behalf without direct orders — even though Iran denies involvement. This case could set a precedent for how U.S. courts handle similar situations in the future. Matar is already serving 25 years from the state case. His federal sentence could be added on top of that, rather than served at the same time, which means the dual-track approach could result in a much longer total prison term.