The distraught mom of the alleged Iranian sympathizer accused of making an attempt to homicide Salman Rushdie revealed how her outgoing, American-raised son took a month-long journey to the Center East – and got here again a spiritual zealot.
Silvana Fardos revealed in an unique interview with DailyMail.com that she anticipated her son Hadi Matar to return again from the 2018 journey ‘motivated,’ however as an alternative, her as soon as outgoing and common son returned a ‘moody introvert’ and would locked himself within the basement, refusing to talk to his household for months.
As FBI brokers raided her Fairview, New Jersey residence on Friday afternoon, it was the primary she was studying of the frenzied stabbing of acclaimed creator Rushdie.
Fardos mentioned quite a lot of objects FBI brokers seized from her son’s basement residence – together with a pc, PlayStation, books, knives and a software to sharpen blades.
‘I obtained a name from my daughter. I used to be at work and he or she instructed me the FBI are right here – I used to be shell shocked,’ Silvana, 46, instructed DailyMail.com.
Rushdie’s life has been beneath menace since 1989 when the late Ayatollah Khomeini – chief of Iran‘s Islamic revolution – condemned his well-known ebook, The Satanic Verses, as blasphemous and issued a fatwa calling for his loss of life.
Silvana, who’s Lebanese and born Muslim, mentioned she didn’t know if her son had ever learn Rushdie’s ebook, however detected he had grow to be extra non secular since his journey, including that he would criticize her for not giving him a strict Muslim upbringing.
‘I simply can not imagine he was able to doing one thing like this. He was very quiet, everybody cherished him. As I mentioned to the FBI I’m not going to hassle speaking to him once more. He’s liable for his actions.
‘I’ve one other two minors that I must deal with. They’re upset, they’re shocked. All we are able to do is attempt to transfer on from this, with out him.’
Silvana Fardos, the mother of Hadi Matar, 24, the alleged Iranian sympathizer who’s accused of making an attempt to kill Salman Rushdie on Friday says her son took a visit to the Center East – and got here again a spiritual zealot
Hadi Matar, 24, is accused of finishing up a stabbing assault towards ‘Satanic Verses’ creator Salman Rushdie. He has entered a not-guilty plea on fees of tried homicide and assault
‘To inform you the reality I by no means heard of his author earlier than. I by no means learn any of his books, I didn’t know that such a author even exists. I had no data that my son ever learn his ebook,’ she defined.
Matar was born within the US to Lebanese dad and mom who emigrated from the southern border city of Yaroun, a stronghold of the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.
He grew up and went to highschool in Cudahy, California, earlier than his mother divorced his father Hassan Matar in 2004, her ex-husband returning to the Center East whereas she moved to New Jersey for a recent begin.
It was on a visit to Lebanon in 2018 to go to his father that Hadi modified from a preferred, loving son to a moody introvert, based on Silvana.
‘The primary hour he will get there he known as me, he needed to return again. He stayed for roughly 28 days however the journey didn’t go properly together with his father, he felt very alone,’ she instructed DailyMail.com.
‘I used to be anticipating him to return again motivated, to finish faculty, to get his diploma and a job. However as an alternative he locked himself within the basement. He had modified lots, he didn’t say something to me or his sisters for months.
‘I couldn’t inform you a lot about his life after that as a result of he has remoted me since 2018. If I strategy him generally he says hello, generally he simply ignores me and walks away.
‘He sleeps in the course of the day and wakes and eats in the course of the night time. He lives within the basement. He cooks his personal meals.’
Newly launched mugshots present suspected knifeman Hadi Matar as he was detained in NYC
Matar was born within the US to Lebanese dad and mom who emigrated to California the place he went to highschool. His mother divorced his father and moved to New Jersey for a recent begin
Silvana Fardos detected that her son was turning into extra non secular and he would criticize her for not giving him a strict Muslim upbringing
Silvana additionally detected that her son was turning into extra non secular and he would criticize her for not giving him a strict Muslim upbringing.
He additionally barred her from coming into his basement abode which is straight beneath the $700,000, four-bed residence the place she lives together with his twin sisters, aged 14.
‘One time he argued with me asking why I inspired him to get an schooling as an alternative of specializing in faith. He was offended that I didn’t introduce him to Islam from a younger age,’ Silvana added.
‘I’m Lebanese however I’ve been right here for 26 years. I’m dwelling a easy life as a single mother, making an attempt to maintain a roof over our heads and meals on the desk for my youngsters.
‘I don’t care about politics, I’m not non secular. I used to be born a Muslim and that’s it mainly. I didn’t push my youngsters into faith or pressure something on my son. I don’t know anybody in Iran, all my household are right here.’
Matar, whose now-deleted Fb web page is plastered with pics of Iranian politicians, rushed onto the stage Friday morning at a literary competition in upstate New York as Rushdie was introduced.
He stabbed the Booker Prize-winning creator a number of occasions earlier than being pinned to the bottom by horrified witnesses and apprehended by a state trooper.
Rushdie was airlifted to hospital and positioned on a ventilator however has since recovered sufficient to talk and stays his ‘feisty and defiant’ self, his son Zafar introduced immediately.
Salman Rushdie (pictured in Los Angeles in 2013) has now been taken off a ventilator and may converse. There had been fears he could be left unable to speak after the assault final week
Rushdie instructed a German journal earlier this month that the fatwa towards him not scared him. Right here bystanders and workers are inclined to Mr Rushdie on stage after the assault
Writer Salman Rushdie smiles as he attends a photocall together with his ebook ‘Quichotte’ for the authors shortlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize for Fiction at Southbank Centre in London
Matar was understood to be utilizing a faux drivers license beneath the identify Hassan Mughniyah when he dedicated the botched assassination.
The present chief of Hezbollah is called Hassan Nasrallah whereas one among its most infamous commanders was known as Imad Mughniyeh. It listed his deal with as an residence in West New York, New Jersey, however the unit’s proprietor instructed DailyMail.com she had by no means heard of both Matar or Mughniyeh.
Matar by no means had a job, by no means had a girlfriend however did be a part of an area boxing fitness center three months in the past – earlier than abruptly cancelling his membership final week.
Regardless of his rising zeal for Islam he by no means dressed any otherwise, main Silvana to hope it was only a passing part.
‘Once I heard he had joined a fitness center I used to be completely happy,’ added his mother, a particular support assistant trainer and highschool Arabic translator.
‘I had been encouraging him to get a job, return to highschool. He did truly begin a job just a few months in the past at Marshalls.
‘He even shared with me that he was going again to highschool in September to check cyber safety which I used to be tremendous enthusiastic about.
‘I felt like he was in a long-term melancholy and now it was time for him to get better and are available again to life, to return again to his household.’
Combating tears she added, ‘I’ve not watched the video of what occurred, I don’t need to. All I do know is what was written.
‘The FBI gave me a doc to signal saying that they had taken his laptop, his PlayStation, some books, another objects together with knives and a sharpener.
‘I really feel sorry for Mr Rushdie. I hope he recovers however there’s nothing a lot I can say or do as a result of this wasn’t my act.’
