The U.S. government announced Friday sanctions against the Iranian foundation 15 of Jordan, a historic organization linked to the Revolution led by the late Ayatollah Khomeini, for offering a reward to assassinate British writer Salman Rushdie, now convalescing from an attempt on his life that has caused him serious injuries.
The semi-official foundation, named in memory of the homonymous protests against Khomeini’s arrest in 1963, has been declared by the US as a «patron of terrorism» by offering in 1997 a reward of 2.2 million euros to kill Rushdie under the fatwa ordered by the ayatollah against the writer for the publication in 1988 of his book ‘The Satanic Verses’, considered by the authorities as an act of blasphemy.
Rushdie, who spent decades under protection against possible attacks, was the victim of a serious knife attack on August 13 during a presentation in New York state. The 75-year-old writer ended up losing an eye and has lost mobility in one hand due to nerve damage, according to his agent.
«The infamous fatwa was intended to incite terrorism and violence, cause the death of Rushdie and those close to him, and intimidate others,» argues the State Department statement, which condemns the attack on the writer as an «assault on freedom of expression and an act of terrorism.»
For all these reasons, the US government has declared the Iranian foundation as «a patron of terrorism» in a statement in which it recalls how «several of the translators and business partners have been killed or seriously injured as a result of this incitement», in reference to the fatwa, «as have dozens of innocent civilians».
«Today’s action is another clear signal that we will not stand idly by in the face of terrorism,» concludes the U.S. government.
