New York, Aug 18 (IANS) The man who stabbed Salman Rushdie on stage at an event in New York has said he was "surprised" to learn that the renowned Indian-born author was alive following the attack.
Hadi Matar, 24, said Rushdie, 75, was "someone who attacked Islam" but did not confirm that his actions were driven by a fatwa issued by Iran in the 1980s, reports dpa news agency.
Matar pleaded not guilty through his lawyer to charges stemming from the assault and is currently being held at Chautauqua County Jail, in New York state.
He is due to appear in court again on Friday.
Speaking to the New York Post in a video interview from jail, he said: "When I heard he survived, I was surprised, I guess."
Matar said he had originally planned to go to the event at the Chautauqua Institution after seeing a tweet announcing Rushdie's appearance.
"I don't like the person. I don't think he's a very good person. I don't like him very much. He's someone who attacked Islam, he attacked their beliefs, the belief systems."
Rushdie published his famous novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1988, which resulted in then Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa, or edict, calling for his death in 1989.
But Matar told the New York Post he had only read "a couple of pages" of the book and did not say whether the fatwa had inspired him.
"I respect the Ayatollah. I think he's a great person. That's as far as I will say about that," he said.
It comes as the moderator of the event said his concern is for the writer "himself, but also what he means in the world".
Despite his "life-changing" injuries, the novelist has retained his "usual feisty and defiant sense of humour", his family has said.
The author suffered a damaged liver as well as severed nerves in an arm and an eye, but was taken off a ventilator on August 13.
Titled "Howdy Modi!", the event on September 22, hosted by the Texas India Forum, is being promoted as a community summit. It is expected to be the biggest ever gathering of Indian-Americans in the US, The American Bazaar reported on Thursday.
Tulsi Gabbard, the Hindu aspirant for the Democratic Party nomination for the US presidency, has been dropped by the party from the roster of 10 candidates to feature in the next debate, dealing her campaign a setback and dimming its national exposure.
Tim Ryan, Ohio Democrat and a 2020 presidential hopeful, has endorsed a grey t-shirt with "Namaste America" written on it, as part of his campaign merchandise amid growing calls for more diversity in US politics, a media report said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has sought strict action into the abduction of the Sikh girl and her forced conversion to Islam.
