Satanic Verses' author in surgery for stab wounds

TODAY bestselling author whose writing led to death threats, was attacked Friday as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York, suffering stab wounds to the neck and abdomen.

New York police said a state trooper assigned to the event took a suspect into custody after the attack. He was later identified in a Friday afternoon press conference as Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old from Fairview, New Jersey, according to New York State Police Major Eugene Staniszewsk. Officials did not "have any indication of a motivation at this time," said Staniszewsk, adding charges against Matar have not been filed yet as officials work with the District Attorney office to review evidence and monitor Rushdie's condition