JAKARTA - The condition of Salman Rushdie, a well-known writer who was stabbed repeatedly in New York, United States last Friday, is gradually improving and is no longer on a ventilator, said the agent and his son.
"He is no longer on a ventilator, the process towards recovery has started. It will take a long time, the injuries are severe but his condition is heading in the right direction," his agent, Andrew Wylie, wrote in an email to Reuters, quoted Aug. 15.
Originally, 75-year-old Rushdie was about to give a lecture at New York's Chautauqua Institution about the importance of the United States as a haven for targeted artists, when police said a 24-year-old man rushed onto the stage and stabbed him.
Rushdie was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania, for treatment after the attack.
After hours of surgery, he was put on a ventilator and unable to speak on Friday night, Wylie said in a previous health update, adding Rushdie is likely to lose an eye, have nerve damage in his arm and a liver injury.
One of Rushdie's sons said on Sunday his father remains in critical condition but can say a few words after he is no longer on a ventilator.
"Despite his severe life-changing injury, his passionate & challenging sense of humor remains intact," wrote Zafar Rushdie on Twitter.
Witnesses said Matar did not speak when he attacked Rushdie. He was arrested at the scene by a state police officer, after being dropped to the ground by onlookers.
The stabbing suspect, Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted second-degree murder and second-degree assault, at a court appearance on Saturday, lawyer Nathaniel Barone said.
Rushdie was stabbed 10 times, prosecutors said during Matar's indictment, according to the New York Times. He bought tickets to attend Rushdie's lectures. Meanwhile, participants said there was no clear security check.
Prosecutors said in court, Matar traveled by bus to the Chautauqua Institution, an education and summer retreat about 19km from the shores of Lake Erie.
Neither local nor federal authorities provided additional details about the investigation, including its possible motive.
An initial law enforcement review of Matar's social media accounts showed he was sympathetic to Shia extremism and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to NBC New York. The IRGC has been accused by Washington of carrying out a global extremist campaign.
Guarantees for Matar were rejected, with prosecutors explaining that Matar had international backing and could have easily fled the country, citing Arab News.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
