Salman Rushdie's life no longer in danger, the assailant presented to a judge
Salman Rushdie signs autographs after the opening news conference of the book fair in Frankfurt, Germany October 13, 2015. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski
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Salman Rushdie's health is stable.
The author remains hospitalized after being the target of a knife attack on Friday August 12 while attending a literary festival near New York.
The investigation is continuing and his assailant appeared before a judge on Saturday for the first time.
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Salman Rushdie's days are no longer in danger.
According to his agent, the British writer is no longer on life support, reports our correspondent in New York,
Loubna Anaki
.
On Saturday, he could "
talk and even joke
".
Salman Rushdie suffered serious injuries, including to his neck, face and arm.
His assailant was presented to a judge on August 13 and then indicted for assault and attempted murder.
The prosecutor spoke of a well-planned and premeditated attack.
Hadi Matar pleaded not guilty before being taken into custody without the possibility of bail.
► To read also:
Attempted assassination of Salman Rushdie: "It's a nightmare coming true"
A sympathizer of Iranian Shiites
We know a little more about him.
Hadi Matar was born in the United States to Lebanese parents.
According to some American media, he did not hide his sympathy, on social networks, for Iranian Shiite groups, even if no link has been established for the moment.
Hadi Matar could have been inspired by the fatwa issued in February 1989 by Ayatollah Khomeini against Salman Rushdie.
Today, he faces several decades in prison.
► To read also: Writer Salman Rushdie hospitalized after being stabbed on stage in New York State
The attack caused shock waves, especially in Western countries (it was hailed by extremists in Iran and Pakistan): US President Joe Biden condemned "
a brutal attack
" and paid tribute to Mr. Rushdie for his "
unwillingness to be intimidated and silenced
".
The attack also renewed public interest in
the author's work
, notably his 1988 novel
The Satanic Verses
.
On Saturday afternoon, three editions of the book topped Amazon's Book Sales Barometer, which tracks the books with the fastest sales growth in the past 24 hours.
And the writer's first-ever bestseller,
Midnight's Children,
was in fourth place.
► To read also: Attack against Salman Rushdie: in Iran, the media evoke an "apostate writer"
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