London: Salman Rushdie, the Indian-born author of the controversial book The Satanic Verses, went into hiding today under the protection of armed police. Fears of protests threatening the delicate relationship between Iran and Britain prompted Rushdie’s retreat.
Demonstrators in Tehran targeted the British embassy, pelting it with stones while Ayatollah Khomeini’s revolutionary guards corps pledged to assassinate Rushdie. The embassy’s windows bore the brunt of the violence. Additional protests are anticipated in Pakistan and Iran against the publication of Rushdie’s book, which has been deemed insulting to Islam by fundamentalists.
Expressing significant concern, the British government is urgently seeking clarification on reports of Khomeini calling for Rushdie’s execution. The whereabouts of the author, who asserted his regret for not crafting an even more critical novel, remain unknown.
Penguin-Viking, the publishers of Rushdie’s controversial work, revealed that they have sporadic contact with him through phone calls, but refused to comment on whether he has been provided with private bodyguards. However, they emphasized that they are taking the threats against him seriously.
Amidst the escalating tensions, an anti-terrorist expert suggested that an Iranian death squad may already be in Britain, tracking Rushdie. The London-based Institute for the Study of Terrorism’s Ian Geldard stated that while a hit squad could have been dispatched from Iran, it is highly possible that a sleeper squad is already present.
When approached for comment, Scotland Yard neither confirmed nor denied any involvement with Rushdie’s protection, citing their policy of not discussing security matters.
Meanwhile, Viking, Rushdie’s publishers, issued an apology for any offense caused among Muslims. The written apology followed Ayatollah Khomeini’s decree, urging Muslims to kill both Rushdie and his publishers. Nevertheless, Viking stated that they have no plans to withdraw the book.
The execution order issued by Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran threatens Anglo-Iranian relations. Seeking to clarify Khomeini’s remarks, British Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe expressed his concern, adding that the reported death threat would greatly unsettle Britain. The incident hampers the normalization of relations between London and Tehran.
British Members of Parliament reacted strongly to the execution order, calling on the government to formally protest to the Iranian regime. Tory members of Parliament submitted a motion in the House of Commons condemning the order, labeling it an outrage to civilized standards worldwide. Eldon Griffiths, chairman of the all-party parliamentary Anglo-Iranian group, demanded immediate action from the government, urging them to register a formal protest with the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires. Notably, these reactions were shared by members who previously sponsored a motion criticizing Rushdie’s book.
In the face of the death threat, Rushdie has been provided with an armed guard and continues to live in hiding. His wife, Marianne Wiggins, expressed her fear, asserting that staying in hiding with special branch protection is the best course of action. Rushdie, in a recent TV interview, expressed his wish to have written an even more critical book, questioning the religion’s opposition to any form of criticism and citing it as proof of the extraordinary unscrupulousness behind the campaign against his work.
Both Rushdie and his publishers take the threat seriously. Rushdie is believed to have sought protection from Scotland Yard, while Viking continues to stand by the book, issuing an apology but maintaining their decision not to withdraw it. The ongoing situation highlights the clash between freedom of expression and religious sensitivities, with far-reaching consequences for Rushdie’s safety and the diplomatic relations between nations.
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