LONDON — Salman Rushdie, the novelist threatened with death by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for writing the book "The Satanic Verses," is living apart from his American wife, Marianne Wiggins, she announced today through her publisher.

Secker and Warburg issued a brief statement saying that Wiggins, herself a writer, and the Indian-born Rushdie have been living separately for four weeks.

"Scotland Yard security arrangements for the protection of Mr. Rushdie have been reordered since then and Ms. Wiggins does not know where he is," the statement said.

The couple had been in hiding since Feb. 14, when Khomeini said Rushdie should be killed because "The Satanic Verses" blasphemes Islam.