The White House condemns ‘reprehensible’ attack on Salman Rushdie, calling the violence ‘appalling’

The White House has slammed the attack on author Salman Rushdie, who remains on a ventilator after being stabbed multiple times at a literary event in upstate New York.

Rushdie, 75, was attacked by Hadi Matar, 24, as he got onto the stage to give a speech at the Chautauqua Institution.

The nerves in his neck were severed in the attack, meaning that he could lose an eye, and his liver was damaged according to his agent.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, on behalf of the White House, said in a statement: ‘Today, the country and the world witnessed a reprehensible attack against the writer Salman Rushdie.

‘This act of violence is appalling. All of us in the Biden-Harris Administration are praying for his speedy recovery.

‘We are thankful to good citizens and first responders for helping Mr. Rushdie so quickly after the attack and to law enforcement for its swift and effective work, which is ongoing.’

Rushdie has been the subject of death threats from the Iranian regime since the late 1980s, and his attacker is understood to be sympathetic to the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

Since the 1980s, the IRGC have been linked to Hezbollah, offering training and funding to the primarily Lebanon-based terrorist organization. Hezbollah’s logo is based on the IRGC’s. 

Rushdie was issued a fatwa – a death sentence – in 1989 by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini after his book, the Satanic Verses, sparked and outcry with Muslims in Britain.

The book supposedly insulted the Prophet Mohammed and The Koran, with Khomeini calling for Rushdie’s death, and also called for Muslims to point him out to those who could kill him if they could not themselves.

His agent, Andrew Wylie, gave an update on his condition, saying: ‘The news is not good. 

‘Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged.’