Following the horrific stabbing of free speech advocate, Sir Salman Rushdie last Friday, Islamic extremists on Iranian state media have said the author brought the attack on himself for offending Muslims and that Trump and Pompeo are “next”.
The Kayhan newspaper, which is directly supported by the Iranian government and whose editor was selected by Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei published a sickening article over the weekend which praised the horrific attack on Rushdie which left the 75-year-old on a ventilator for days and life-endangering stab wounds to his neck and stomach.
The article said:
“God has taken his revenge on Rushdie. The attack on him shows it is not a difficult job to take similar revenge on Trump and Pompeo and from now on they will feel more in danger for their lives.”
Rushdie is a British-Indian author who was knighted by Queen for his services to literature. In the 1980s, he released a fictional book called The Satanic Verses which angered British Muslims who claimed the author had insulted their Prophet, Mohammed.
Furious Muslims took to the streets of London in the 80s to protest against the book. They burned copies of it in the street and started violent riots which resulted in the death of 60 people.
The late Iranian religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini put a Fatima (death order) against Rushdie in 1989 and encouraged Muslims to assassinate him. A $3 million bounty was also offered to the individual who killed the author.
The Kayhan newspaper in #Iran, whose editor is selected by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, again celebrates the attack on #SalmanRushdie and this time threatens former President Trump and Secretary Pompeo.
“Salman Rushdie got divine vengeance. Trump and Pompeo are next!” pic.twitter.com/cFbHd5ebbc
— NUFDI (@NUFDIran) August 13, 2022
Rushie was stabbed multiple times on the stage of a literary festival in New York by an Islamic extremist, Hadi Matar, 24, whose parents migrated to the US from Lebanon.
The Middle Eastern nation which borders Syria and Israel is a predominantly Muslim nation.
Matar was charged with attempted murder over the weekend, and his mother has since spoken out about her son. She said she was unaware that he had been “radicalized” and that she has now disowned him.
“I just cannot believe he was capable of doing something like this. He was very quiet, everyone loved him. As I said to the FBI I’m not going to bother talking to him again. He’s responsible for his actions,” said his mom, Silvana Fardos.
who attacked Salman Rushdie has been named as Hadi Matar.
he is probably of Lebanon 🇱🇧 heritage. He drove from New Jersey to Chautauqua New York State on the Canadian border. #SalmanRushdie pic.twitter.com/zdHRioN7rd
— umar cheema (@0marcheema35) August 12, 2022
“I have another two minors that I need to take care of. They are upset, they’re shocked. All we can do is try to move on from this, without him.”
Iran has made death threats against Donald Trump and Pompeo in the past. On the second anniversary of the killing of Iranian military officer, Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi vowed that Trump would pay for ordering the drone strike which killed him.
“If the conditions for a fair trial of Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo and other criminals become available, they will be charged for committing this heinous crime and will face the consequence of their criminal actions,” said Raisi.
“However, let there be no doubt that I say here to all American statesmen that the hand of revenge will eventually come out of the sleeve of our nation.”
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken confirmed that Iran’s plans to attempt to assassinate Pompeo are “real and ongoing”.
