‘Middle East journey modified him’: Mother of man who attacked Salman Rushdie in New York

The mom of the 24-year-old suspect, accused of trying to homicide creator Salman Rushdie, stated that her son modified after a visit to the Middle East in 2018 and she or he was not even conscious of who the creator was.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the accused, Hadi Matar’s mom, Silvana Fardos, stated that her outgoing son become a moody and introvert particular person following a go to to the Middle East in 2018.

“I was expecting him to come back motivated, to complete school, to get his degree and a job. But instead, he locked himself in the basement. He had changed a lot, he didn’t say anything to me or his sisters for months,” she stated.

Silvana additionally detected that her son was turning into extra spiritual and he would criticize her for not giving him a strict Muslim upbringing. He additionally barred her from getting into his basement.

“One time he argued with me asking why I encouraged him to get an education instead of focusing on religion. He was angry that I did not introduce him to Islam from a young age,” Silvana added.

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The lady additional informed the Daily Mail that she had by no means heard of Rushdie earlier than getting a frantic name from her daughter on Friday.

As FBI brokers raided her Fairview, New Jersey dwelling on Friday afternoon, it was the primary she heard of the incident.

“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,” Silvana Firdos stated.

Matar was born within the US to Lebanese mother and father who emigrated from the southern border city of Yaroun, a stronghold of the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.

The creator, 75, was stabbed almost 10 occasions, together with within the neck and the stomach, on Friday by a person who rushed onto the stage because the creator was about to present a lecture in New York.

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