Federal Terrorism Conviction Layers on State Sentence in Rushdie Stabbing Case

A Buffalo jury convicted Hadi Matar on July 29, 2026, on federal terrorism charges — including attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah — for the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie. Matar already faces a 25-year state sentence for attempted murder. Prosecutors tied the attack to Khomeini's 1989 fatwa. Iran denies involvement. Matar now faces a potential life sentence.