Jones has now revealed on her blog that despite attempts to find a new UK distributor for The Jewel of Medina, "everyone, it seems, is too afraid". "Although the extremists lost in court, they have apparently won where it really counts – in the UK's book stores," she wrote. "The 'thugs' have accomplished their task — and freedom of speech, the first freedom to go when fascism gets a foothold, has taken a blow in the western world."

She called on "the people of Great Britain" to "speak out against those who are limiting their right to read, think, speak, listen, debate, discuss, criticise". "I hope the people of the UK can find the power, and the courage, to raise an outcry against censorship," she said. "Now it's time for the rest of us, including moderate Muslims and the press, who cherish our culture and our freedom, to raise a cry louder than that of radicals, so we don't lose that most precious, and crucial, of freedoms."

The Bookseller reported last week that the novel's UK publication was in "suspended animation", and this week reported that author Sherry Jones' trip to Frankfurt as part of an author tour had been cancelled. A statement put out by Gibson Square Publishers said: "We respect Sherry Jones's decision. In her view the best thing to do is to postpone her visit and the publishing of the novel in Britain."

It added: "We appreciate that she will continue to make time available to any interested British groups to dispel misinformation about The Jewel of Medina. We hope that they will get in touch with us to receive further information about her hopes for her novel to foster greater understanding of Islam for Western readers. Despite the controversy of the past two weeks, Sherry Jones' intention remains as it was from the start to engage with a current debate in a positive way."