Rushdie ‘loses sight in eye after brutal attack’
SIR Salman Rushdie has lost sight in one eye and the use of a hand after he was brutally stabbed while giving a lecture in the US, his agent has revealed.
The 75-year-old author – who has faced Islamist death threats for three decades after writing The Satanic Verses – was stabbed multiple times as he took to the stage at the Chautauqua Institute in New York state.
Sir Salman had emergency surgery after suffering wounds to the neck, stomach, right eye and chest as well as a laceration on his right thigh on August 12.
At the time it was not clear whether the author would survive the assault, with his alleged attacker Hadi Matar, 24, saying in an interview from prison that he was ‘surprised’ the author had lived.
Now Sir Salman’s agent Andrew Wylie has revealed for the first time just how serious his injuries are. Mr Wylie said: ‘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 On stage: After the attack in new York suffered another 15 injuries to his chest and torso. So it was a brutal attack.’
The agent declined to comment on whether his client was still in hospital, but added: ‘Rushdie will survive.’ Mr Wylie said that he had discussed the possibility of an assassination attempt with Sir Salman in the past.
He said: ‘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[’s murder].’ Just days before the attack, Sir Salman spoke about how his life was ‘very normal again’ after years of hiding and death threats.
In an interview with German magazine Stern in early August, he said death threats ‘have become more normal’ – but that the fatwa no longer scared him. Matar pleaded not guilty to second degree attempted murder and assault charges when he appeared in court on August 18.