British author and Islam critic Salman Rushdie will have Australian Federal Police protection when he addresses a global atheist convention in Melbourne.

The Indian-born writer, who Islamist extremists have wanted to kill since 1989, has agreed to be the headline act for the Global Atheist Convention after fellow ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali pulled out for personal reasons.

Atheist Foundation of Australia president Kylie Sturgess said the Australian Federal Police were helping with security arrangements for the February 2018 event.

'In staging the convention, called Reason to Hope, we are consulting with local and Federal police, and all appropriate security experts, to take the necessary precautions,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

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Ex-Muslim author Salman Rushdie is coming to Melbourne for the Global Atheists Convention

Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali pulled out of the Melbourne Global Atheist Convention back in May

'We have experience in this - we've staged two previous conventions – so we know the importance of careful planning.'

Rushdie has lived under constant security protection since 1989, when Iran's then supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa on him.

The 70-year-old author of The Satanic Verses has lived with bodyguards since then, and is expected to have extra security when he visits Melbourne in February for his first global atheist convention in Australia.

The Atheist Foundation of Australia told Daily Mail Australia about Rushdie's extra security detail as they announced new guests.

Rushie won't be the only ex-Muslim on stage, with Pakistani-born stand-up comedian and author Sami Shah joining him.

Their appearance comes despite the danger ex-Muslims often face from Islamist extremists, who regard leaving Islam as a capital punishment for the crime of apostasy.

Former Muslim Sami Shah became an atheist after moving from Pakistan to Australia

Sami Shah (right) and his wife Ishma Alvi (left) renounced Islam after moving from Pakistan

Islamist extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir remains legal in Australia even though one of its leaders Uthman Badar declared in March ex-Muslims deserved to be killed.

'The ruling for apostates as such in Islam is clear, that apostates attract capital punishment and we don't shy away from that,' Badar said in the presence of children in Sydney's west.

Shah and his wife Ishma Alvi have both renounced Islam.

The couple, who became Australian citizens in January, said extremism, sexism and misogyny were key reasons why they left the religion they had grown up with.

Shah has written a book, The Islamic Republic of Australia, explaining how the 'maddening' text of the Koran had turned him from a Muslim into an atheist.

Controversial left-wing feminist Clementine Ford and Iranian-born campaigner against Sharia law, Maryam Namazie will also be at the convention event.

Salman Rushdie will be keynote speaker at his first ever Australian atheist conference in 2018