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| Paris terror attack: huge manhunt under way after gunmen kill 12 | Paris terror attack: huge manhunt under way after gunmen kill 12 |
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| A huge manhunt is under way in Paris for masked and hooded men armed with Kalashnikovs who stormed the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people – including two policemen and eight journalists – before escaping in a car. | A huge manhunt is under way in Paris for masked and hooded men armed with Kalashnikovs who stormed the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people – including two policemen and eight journalists – before escaping in a car. |
| François Hollande, the French president, described the attack as “an act of exceptional barbarism”. | François Hollande, the French president, described the attack as “an act of exceptional barbarism”. |
| Paris prosecutor François Molins said two gunmen entered the offices of the magazine at 11.30am, killing one person in the foyer before climbing to the second floor – where the paper was holding an editorial meeting – and opening fire. | Paris prosecutor François Molins said two gunmen entered the offices of the magazine at 11.30am, killing one person in the foyer before climbing to the second floor – where the paper was holding an editorial meeting – and opening fire. |
| The gunmen fled in a car, killing at least one officer in exchanges of fire with police. They then carjacked another vehicle near Paris’s péripherique and fled. Molins said three suspects in total were being pursued, but the details of the investigation would remain confidential. | The gunmen fled in a car, killing at least one officer in exchanges of fire with police. They then carjacked another vehicle near Paris’s péripherique and fled. Molins said three suspects in total were being pursued, but the details of the investigation would remain confidential. |
| A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that 12 people had been killed in the attack in rue Nicolas Appert, in the 11th arrondissement in eastern Paris. | A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that 12 people had been killed in the attack in rue Nicolas Appert, in the 11th arrondissement in eastern Paris. |
| Benoît Bringer, who works at a press agency on the same floor as the magazine’s offices, told France Radio: “We saw hooded men carrying Kalashnikovs entering the building. We called the police. After a few minutes we heard heavy firing – a lot of firing, a hell of a lot. We went upstairs to take shelter on the roof. Then after about 10 minutes we saw two armed men come out on to the street. There was more shouting, more firing. | Benoît Bringer, who works at a press agency on the same floor as the magazine’s offices, told France Radio: “We saw hooded men carrying Kalashnikovs entering the building. We called the police. After a few minutes we heard heavy firing – a lot of firing, a hell of a lot. We went upstairs to take shelter on the roof. Then after about 10 minutes we saw two armed men come out on to the street. There was more shouting, more firing. |
| “Three policemen had arrived on bikes but had to leave because the men were armed, obviously … Then the attackers took off in a car.” | “Three policemen had arrived on bikes but had to leave because the men were armed, obviously … Then the attackers took off in a car.” |
| Visiting the scene of the country’s worst atrocity in decades, Hollande described it as “a terrorist attack, without a doubt” and | Visiting the scene of the country’s worst atrocity in decades, Hollande described it as “a terrorist attack, without a doubt” and |
| warned that several other attacks had been foiled in recent weeks. He called for national unity and convened an emergency cabinet meeting. The French government raised the terror alert level in the greater Paris region to the highest level possible. | warned that several other attacks had been foiled in recent weeks. He called for national unity and convened an emergency cabinet meeting. The French government raised the terror alert level in the greater Paris region to the highest level possible. |
| Five of the victims have been named, including four Charlie Hebdo journalists: editor Stéphane Charbonnier and cartoonists Jean Cabut, Georges Wolinski and Bernard Verlhac. AFP reported that Bernard Maris, an economist and writer who contributed to the magazine, was also killed. | Five of the victims have been named, including four Charlie Hebdo journalists: editor Stéphane Charbonnier and cartoonists Jean Cabut, Georges Wolinski and Bernard Verlhac. AFP reported that Bernard Maris, an economist and writer who contributed to the magazine, was also killed. |
| #CharlieHebdo: Charb, Wolinski, Cabu et Tignous sont morts http://t.co/CdynLOg8r0 #AFP pic.twitter.com/YgiVHEeVQa | #CharlieHebdo: Charb, Wolinski, Cabu et Tignous sont morts http://t.co/CdynLOg8r0 #AFP pic.twitter.com/YgiVHEeVQa |
| The attack comes amid mounting tension about immigration in France and what many non-Muslim French see as a rising Islamic influence in society. | The attack comes amid mounting tension about immigration in France and what many non-Muslim French see as a rising Islamic influence in society. |
| Charlie Hebdo’s cover story this week featured Michel Houellebecq, the controversial author, whose latest book, Submission, portrays France in 2022, run by a Muslim president according to the laws of conservative Islam. | Charlie Hebdo’s cover story this week featured Michel Houellebecq, the controversial author, whose latest book, Submission, portrays France in 2022, run by a Muslim president according to the laws of conservative Islam. |
| The Islamic State extremist group has previously warned it intends to attack France and, in what appeared to be the last tweet before the attack, Charlie Hebdo staff posted a satirical cartoon of the group’s leader, giving his best wishes for good health. The magazine has itself frequently been criticised – and prosecuted under anti-racism laws – for publishing cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. Its offices were firebombed in 2011 after it published a spoof cover featuring a cartoon of the Muslim prophet. | |
| Witnesses described hearing cries of “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”) during the attack. | Witnesses described hearing cries of “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”) during the attack. |
| An unnamed witness from an office across the corridor said she and her colleagues had heard “a huge boom”. “Then someone opened the door to our office and asked where Charlie Hebdo was. He had a rifle. We backed away. After he left, we heard gunfire. We went to the windows, there were two men running with guns, speaking in bad French … They were shouting outside, and shooting again. Afterwards, I saw someone leaving the building with his hands covered in blood.” | An unnamed witness from an office across the corridor said she and her colleagues had heard “a huge boom”. “Then someone opened the door to our office and asked where Charlie Hebdo was. He had a rifle. We backed away. After he left, we heard gunfire. We went to the windows, there were two men running with guns, speaking in bad French … They were shouting outside, and shooting again. Afterwards, I saw someone leaving the building with his hands covered in blood.” |
| One neighbour saw paramedics trying to save an injured police officer on the road outside her office. | One neighbour saw paramedics trying to save an injured police officer on the road outside her office. |
| “It was ghastly, awful,” she said. “We knew it was serious because they weren’t even trying to take him away to hospital. They were just trying to save him right there in the street. | “It was ghastly, awful,” she said. “We knew it was serious because they weren’t even trying to take him away to hospital. They were just trying to save him right there in the street. |
| “We are all in shock”. | “We are all in shock”. |
| Television footage showed the surrounding streets jammed with police and emergency service vehicles, while tweeted pictures from people at the scene showed police cars riddled with bullets and people being carried away on stretchers. | Television footage showed the surrounding streets jammed with police and emergency service vehicles, while tweeted pictures from people at the scene showed police cars riddled with bullets and people being carried away on stretchers. |
| A police spokesman, Rocco Contente, said the men “appeared to have opened fire on everyone. It was carnage, absolute butchery.” | A police spokesman, Rocco Contente, said the men “appeared to have opened fire on everyone. It was carnage, absolute butchery.” |
| World leaders united to condemn the atrocity, including Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, who said it was a “direct assault on democracy, media and freedom of expression”. | World leaders united to condemn the atrocity, including Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, who said it was a “direct assault on democracy, media and freedom of expression”. |
| David Cameron, the UK prime minister, called the attack “sickening”, and said: “We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press.” Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said in a statement it was a an “abominable act” that was also “an attack on freedom of speech and the press, core elements of our free democratic culture”. | David Cameron, the UK prime minister, called the attack “sickening”, and said: “We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press.” Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said in a statement it was a an “abominable act” that was also “an attack on freedom of speech and the press, core elements of our free democratic culture”. |
| Barack Obama said he strongly condemned the attack, adding: “France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world.” | Barack Obama said he strongly condemned the attack, adding: “France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world.” |
| As dusk fell, thousands of Parisians gathered at the Place de la République, to show their anger, grief and solidarity. Similar spontaneous demonstrations took place across France, in the cities of Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon and elsewhere. | As dusk fell, thousands of Parisians gathered at the Place de la République, to show their anger, grief and solidarity. Similar spontaneous demonstrations took place across France, in the cities of Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon and elsewhere. |
| Social media users expressed their solidarity with Charlie Hebdo’s journalists by using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie. | Social media users expressed their solidarity with Charlie Hebdo’s journalists by using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie. |
| Charlie Hebdo gained international notoriety in 2006 when it reprinted cartoons of the prophet Muhammad originally published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, prompting uproar across the Muslim world. In September 2012, it published cartoons of the prophet naked, at a time of violent protests in several Muslim countries over the film Innocence of Muslims. | Charlie Hebdo gained international notoriety in 2006 when it reprinted cartoons of the prophet Muhammad originally published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, prompting uproar across the Muslim world. In September 2012, it published cartoons of the prophet naked, at a time of violent protests in several Muslim countries over the film Innocence of Muslims. |