Acts of Terrorism megathread

[Duque de Bragança]

Author Salman Rushdie, who suffered years of death threats after writing The Satanic Verses, has been attacked on stage in New York state.
The Booker Prize winner was speaking at an event at the Chautauqua Institution at the time.
Witnesses say they saw a man run on stage and either punch or stab Mr Rushdie as he was being introduced.

A video posted online shows attendees rushing onto the stage immediately following the incident.
The attacker is said to have been restrained by those on the scene.
Police confirmed a stabbing but declined to immediately identify the victim, AFP news agency reports.
Mr Rushdie's condition is not currently known.

The Indian-born novelist catapulted to fame with Midnight's Children in 1981, which went on to sell over one million copies in the UK alone.

But Mr Rushdie's fourth book, in 1988 - The Satanic Verses - forced him into hiding for nine years.
The surrealist, post-modern novel sparked outrage among some Muslims, who considered its content to be blasphemous, and was banned in some countries.
A year after the book's publication, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini called for Mr Rushdie's execution and offered a $3m (£2.5m) reward.
Dozens of people died in the violence that followed its publication, including murdered translators of the work.
The bounty over Mr Rushdie's head remains active, although Iran's government has distanced itself from Khomeini's decree.
The author, who has British and American citizenship, is a vocal advocate for freedom of expression and has defended his work on several occasions.
His appearance at the Chautauqua Institution event, in western New York, was the first in a seven-part lecture series hosted by the non-profit.
A spokesman for the organisation's on-site police department declined to comment when contacted by the BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62524922

[grumbler]

Wow!

The reports I am seeing do not look good at all:  multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Here's hoping I'm wrong. 

[Syt]

[DGuller]

Seems crazy that he wouldn't have better security at such events.  The description of the attack make it sound like there was no security there at all.

[Valmy]

That is some crazy commitment to hatred. I guess congratulations are in order to the theocracy of Iran and its supreme leader.

It seems unlikely Rushdie will survive based on what grumbler said but here is hoping.

[Duque de Bragança]

Wow!

The reports I am seeing do not look good at all:  multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Here's hoping I'm wrong. 

News are indeed not good at all, I see now reports of a neck stab wound

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/12/salman-rushdie-attacked-during-panel-in-western-new-york-report-says.html

Salman Rushdie stabbed in neck in NY attack, 'Satanic Verses' scribe airlifted to hospital

[Josquius]

That is some crazy commitment to hatred. I guess congratulations are in order to the theocracy of Iran and its supreme leader.

It seems unlikely Rushdie will survive based on what grumbler said but here is hoping.

Didn't Iran backtrack on this?

[CountDeMoney]

Didn't Iran backtrack on this?

No, they tacked on more to the bounty in 2016 to something like $3m total.

[Razgovory]

This is fucked up.

[DGuller]

I'm not Dexter, but the pictures of the blood spatter seem like a bad sign, it seems to indicate that some blood vessels were severed.  Hopefully early and effective intervention was possible in that case, people have survived gruesome throat slashes before.

[Maladict]

Looks like he'll survive.

[Malthus]

A legal Question: I read that the attacker of Rushdie was charged with attempted second-degree murder. Yet I also read that the authorities are stating that the attack was pre-planned.

I know nothing of the criminal law of New York - but why, if the attack was pre-planned, would he not be charged with attempted first-degree murder?

[viper37]

A legal Question: I read that the attacker of Rushdie was charged with attempted second-degree murder. Yet I also read that the authorities are stating that the attack was pre-planned.

I know nothing of the criminal law of New York - but why, if the attack was pre-planned, would he not be charged with attempted first-degree murder?

I guess at this point, they do not have the formal evidence to charge him with that, but that might come in later.

[Valmy]

Looks like he'll survive.

Amazing if true. Science can overcome religion once more.

[Sheilbh]

Outrageous.

While it's great news that he's survived seeing that is likely to lose an eye and needs serious help is really awfuly.