Author Salman Rushdie has been knighted by the Queen in London for his services to literature. Muslims around the world condemned the award when it was announced last year in the Monarch's Birthday Honours list. Sir Salman, 61, who has written a number of acclaimed books, went into hiding in 1989 after the publication of his book The Satanic Verses. The novel sparked widespread protests by Muslims and Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him.