New York, Feb. 21 -- A jury in western New York convicted Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old from New Jersey, of attempted murder for the stabbing of Indian-born British author Salman Rushdie, The New York Times reported.

The verdict came after testimony from Rushdie, who said he had been struck by his attacker's dark, ferocious eyes. Rushdie described initially feeling as though he was being punched, but soon realised he had "a very large quantity of blood pouring out" onto his clothes.

Matar was also convicted of assault for injuring Ralph Henry Reese, a co-founder of a programme that provides refuge for writers, who was on stage to moderate the event. Matar is set to be sentenced on April 23 and faces up to 32 years in prison, in addition to ...