Indo-British writer Salman Rushdie was attacked with a knife during a literary event in the United States on Friday morning. Rushdie was then flown to a hospital in a helicopter. His agent Andrew Wylie gave an update on his he alth that evening. The statement, which is available to the "New York Times" among others, says that Rushdie is on a ventilator and cannot speak.
"The news isn't good," Wylie explained. "Salman is likely to lose an eye, the nerves in his arm have been severed and his liver has been punctured and damaged."
Police identified suspect
The police have now identified a suspect. A 24-year-old from New Jersey ran onto the stage at the event in Chautauqua, New York, and assaulted Salman Rushdie, New York State Police said. The author suffered stab wounds to the neck and chest. Another speaker at the event, Ralph Henry Reese, sustained a minor head injury. State Police arrested the suspect after assistance from event staff and guests. The investigation is ongoing, the police have not yet commented on a possible motive.
The attack could, however, be related to a work by the author. Rushdie was under police protection long after Iran called for his assassination because of his book The Satanic Verses. Even today, an organization in Iran is offering a reward of three million dollars for his death.
