THE Archbishop of Canterbury has defended free speech after the attack on Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed repeatedly during a public event in New York on Friday. And he called the death threats made against J. K. Rowling after she tweeted her support for the injured author “appalling”.

Sir Salman, an Indian-born British-American novelist, who is 75, was hospitalised after being stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and abdomen by a man who ran on to the stage. The author remains seriously injured, but has since been taken off a ventilator and can talk again. He suffered severe damage to the nerves in one arm and to his liver, and would most likely lose an eye, his agent reported.

A 24-year-old man, Hadi Matar, has been charged with attempted murder, and remains in custody without bail. He has pleaded not guilty.

Sir Salman became the subject of several failed assassination attempts after the publication in 1988 of his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, which caused controversy because of its depiction of Muhammad. The book was banned in several Muslim-majority countries, and the following year a fatwa ordering the execution of its author was announced by the then supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini. Sir Salman was forced into hiding for nearly a decade.

As news of the attack broke on Friday, J. K. Rowling tweeted: “Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be OK.” A Twitter user under the name Meer Asif Asiz replied: “Don’t worry you are next.” Police are said to be investigating the threat.

Archbishop Welby wrote on Twitter on Monday: “It is appalling that there are threats to JK Rowling after her support for Salman Rushdie. Threats and attacks undermine the freedom on which we all rely to be able to comment. Prayer and much sympathy for both.”