Salman Rushdie assailant pleads not guilty

The man accused of stabbing renowned author Salman Rushdie pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder and assault on Thursday.

The 24-year-old is accused of wounding Rushdie in New York state last week just before the novelist was due to give a lecture. The writer was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries, and had to be temporarily placed on a ventilator.

In an interview with the New York Post tabloid, the alleged stabber said that he thought Rushdie had “attacked…