The News Minute | January 7, 2015 | 6.40 PM IST
TNM News Service
Geneva. Twelve people including two police officers dead, several critically wounded, a nation and a fraternity in a state of shock as gunmen went on a killing spree this morning at the editorial offices of Charlie Hebdo, a leading French satirical magazine in Paris.
Among the dead are three of the biggest names in the world of French caricaturists/journalists.
French President Francois Hollande called it an act of terror. “This is an attack on free speech…no one can harm the spirit of this country which is this newspaper,” he told media gathered outside the scene of the attack.
International condemnation and support for France has come from around the world including India, United Kingdom, United States, Germany and Italy, among others.
At time of writing, French media and amateur video reports say the killers shouted allahuakbar before they shot the journalists dead, but there is no official confirmation of who the gunmen were, nor their motives. They are at large and alert levels in Paris have been raised to their highest levels with news organs, shops (this is sales season in Paris), public transport and places of worship.
The satirical weekly was already under police protection after it had been attacked by petrol bombs in November 2011.
Hollande has called for an emergency meeting of the concerned ministers this afternoon and he will address the nation at 20 hrs (CET).
New just coming says the car which the gunmen used has been found abandoned suggesting they changed cars to flee. Other commentators have pointed out that the shooting was a job carried out by professionals.
Paris Attacks: Footage of the #CharlieHebdo attack in Paris http://t.co/TIbbZHrzfW
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 7, 2015Meanwhile there is also news that four cartoonists - Charb, Cabu, Wolinski & Tignous - have been killed in the attack.
4 well-known Charlie Hebdo cartoonists, Cabu, Wolinski, Charb, Tignous are dead http://t.co/d5fqVP5AVq @BuzzFeedNews pic.twitter.com/8RdOcQXNxx
— Nancy Hennen (@tweetbrk) January 7, 2015