At least 12 people have been killed by gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs and a rocket-launcher, after they opened fire in the offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, Paris prosecutors say.
A further 20 people were injured, at least four seriously, in the shooting at the offices of the newspaper, which were firebombed in 2011 after it published cartoons about the prophet Mohammed.
Two police officers and nine journalists are thought to be among those killed, including the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Stephane Charbonnier, judicial sources told Agence France Presse.
The attackers shouted "we have avenged the prophet" when storming the offices, according to witnesses cited by a police source.
One of the men was captured on video shouting "Allah!" as shots rang out.
In the video, filmed by journalist Martin Boudot taking refuge on a nearby rooftop, the men can also be heard shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) between rounds of heavy arms fire.
In solidarity with Charlie Hedbo (whose editor in chief and several cartoonists were among the dead,) here is the last tweet posted on their account shortly before the terror attack:
Meilleurs vœux, au fait. pic.twitter.com/a2JOhqJZJM
— Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) January 7, 2015
Here are the cartoons from 2012 that mainstream media were too afraid to publish from that satirical magazine, and after the Charlie Hedbo offices had been firebombed in 2011:
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| "With my new iPhone 5 with 4" screen you can see clearly that they've insulted the prophet!" |
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| Problem teenager - He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, he doesn't take drugs, he doesn't screw - "My son is a Salafist!!!" |
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| Riots in the Arab countries ... after publication of the photos of Madame Mohammed |
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| Salafist stupidity - Any pretext is good! "Another insulting representation of our prophet!" |
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| Stop kidding around about Mohammed! "I'm a Jew!" |
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| Mohammed reduces unemployment among young people - there are lots of new film critics |
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| A film about Islam triggers the rage of the fundamentalists - "Show us an intelligent film and we start World War III!" |