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Compass: The Satanic Verses Affair

Compass looks back on the 20 years that has followed Salman Rushdie since publishing his controversial book.

salman-rushdieHard to believe it’s been 20 years since Salman Rushdie became the target of many in the Muslim world for his book, The Satanic Verses.

A Fatwa was issued by Iran’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, on the author after publishing his controversial book.

It forced the Rushdie into hiding for ten years.

On Sunday night Compass looks back on the extraordinary events which followed the publication of the book.

Interviews with Rushdie’s friends and family (including writers Fay Weldon and Hanif Kureishi and Rushdie’s sister Sameen Rushdie) and testimony from leaders of Britain’s Muslim community and the Government reveal the inside story of the affair.

Featuring a combination of personal testimony from those caught up in the controversy, film and diary archive footage and dramatic reconstruction, this programme details the events that surrounded the publication of this text, examining how the reaction to and criticism of the text was far and above that which was expected – or planned for.

It airs Sunday, July 26 at 9.30pm on ABC1.

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