Salman Rushdie off ventilator

The 75-year-old author was attacked on stage on Friday (12.08.22) at an event in New York state and airlifted to hospital, but his agent, Andrew Wylie, has confirmed the ‘Satanic Verses’ writer has now been taken off the ventilator that was helping him to breathe and is communicating again.

Author Aatish Taseer had written in a now-deleted tweet: “Just had the most thrilling news: ‘Salmoan is off the ventilator and talking (and joking)’ “

Andrew confirmed the writer’s note about Salman’s condition was correct.

The agent previously revealed the writer is “likely” to lose an eye following the attack.

He said: “Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged.”

Hadi Matar, 24, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder during an arraignment hearing on Saturday (13.08.22).

Jason Schmidt, the Chautauqua County District Attorney, said prior to the hearing: “The individual responsible for the attack, Hadi Matar, has now been formally charged with attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the second degree.”

The police believe that the suspect was acting alone. However, Schmidt confirmed that the state and federal authorities are still looking at whether any additional charges can be added.

Eyewitness Linda Abraham previously recalled how the suspect attempted to continue attacking Rushdie even after he had been restrained.

She told The New York Times newspaper: “It took like five men to pull him away and he was still stabbing. He was just furious, furious. Like intensely strong and just fast.”

Rushdie has suffered years of Islamist death threats following the publication of his controversial 1988 novel ‘The Satanic Verses’, which was considered blasphemous by many Muslims.

A fatwa calling for Rushdie’s assassination was issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the author spent nearly a decade in hiding after its publication.