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| Charlie Hebdo Offices Attack: Live Updates | Charlie Hebdo Offices Attack: Live Updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Multiple gunmen are believed to be at large following a deadly attack on the offices of the satirical Paris newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Early reports indicate that as many as 12 people may have been killed, including several employees of the paper, its editor-in-chief, and police officers nearby. | Multiple gunmen are believed to be at large following a deadly attack on the offices of the satirical Paris newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Early reports indicate that as many as 12 people may have been killed, including several employees of the paper, its editor-in-chief, and police officers nearby. |
| Amateur video footage purportedly from the scene of the attack appeared to show two armed, masked men executing a police officer laying prone on the sidewalk. The men are then seen escaping in a black car parked nearby. Initial police reports have indicated that at least three men are believed to have been involved in the assault. | Amateur video footage purportedly from the scene of the attack appeared to show two armed, masked men executing a police officer laying prone on the sidewalk. The men are then seen escaping in a black car parked nearby. Initial police reports have indicated that at least three men are believed to have been involved in the assault. |
| French President Francois Hollande stated that the incident is “a terrorist attack without doubt”, and has placed Paris on the highest possible terror alert while the suspects remained at large. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve also said that all appropriate steps would be taken to “neutralise these criminals”. | French President Francois Hollande stated that the incident is “a terrorist attack without doubt”, and has placed Paris on the highest possible terror alert while the suspects remained at large. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve also said that all appropriate steps would be taken to “neutralise these criminals”. |
| While initial reports have not yet offered any definitive conclusions about the motives for the attack, Charlie Hebdo has been the target of Islamic extremists over its repeated publication of satirical images of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2011 its offices were firebombed the day after it named Muhammad the putative “editor-in-chief” of its forthcoming issue. At the time, Stephane Charbonnier, one of the cartoonists reportedly killed today, stated his belief that the attack was not the responsibility of French Muslims but of “idiot extremists”. | While initial reports have not yet offered any definitive conclusions about the motives for the attack, Charlie Hebdo has been the target of Islamic extremists over its repeated publication of satirical images of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2011 its offices were firebombed the day after it named Muhammad the putative “editor-in-chief” of its forthcoming issue. At the time, Stephane Charbonnier, one of the cartoonists reportedly killed today, stated his belief that the attack was not the responsibility of French Muslims but of “idiot extremists”. |
| Highlighting the confusion surrounding the assault at the moment, conflicting analyst reports have suggested that the attackers may have been speaking anything from an Eastern Slavic language to Maghrebian Arabic. | Highlighting the confusion surrounding the assault at the moment, conflicting analyst reports have suggested that the attackers may have been speaking anything from an Eastern Slavic language to Maghrebian Arabic. |
| Eyewitnesses at the scene of the attack claimed that the assailants instructed bystanders to “Tell the media that this is al-Qaeda in the Yemen.” A 2013 edition of Al Qaeda’s Inspire magazine had also placed the editors of the publication on a hitlist of media figures and politicians. | Eyewitnesses at the scene of the attack claimed that the assailants instructed bystanders to “Tell the media that this is al-Qaeda in the Yemen.” A 2013 edition of Al Qaeda’s Inspire magazine had also placed the editors of the publication on a hitlist of media figures and politicians. |
| Update (12:12PM): Videos showing scenes from the attack overlayed with nasheed music commonly associated with the Islamic State have appeared on social media sites. Images lauding the attack and associating it with the group have appeared as well. So far, however, none of these indicate an official claim of responsibility from the group, and previous lone wolf attacks have also been opportunistically seized upon by ISIS supporters to help bolster their cause. | |
| Update (12:26PM): Several analysts have commented on the apparent professionalism and training demonstrated by the assailants in carrying out this attack. Former White House counterterrorism advisor Richard Clarke stated “They were people who did not look like they were wild, on some kind of spree, but who were accomplishing a military operation”, adding, “this doesn’t equal a group of rogue, angry guys.” | |
| Clint Watts, a national security fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, has also written a detailed initial analysis of possible perpetrators of the attack, writing that “significant reconnaissance was conducted which suggests a well-planned operation more consistent with a directed plot”. | Clint Watts, a national security fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, has also written a detailed initial analysis of possible perpetrators of the attack, writing that “significant reconnaissance was conducted which suggests a well-planned operation more consistent with a directed plot”. |
| Update (12:44PM): An eyewitness report on the French news site l’Humanite describes the experience of one woman who encountered the attackers before the rampage began (English translation): | |
| “I was going to get my daughter at the daycare, and while arriving in front of the entrance of the newspaper building two armed men wearing [balaclavas] brutally menaced us. They wanted to enter, to go inside. I tapped the security code. They fired on Solinski, Cabu…This went on for five minutes. I hid under a desk. They spoke perfect French and said they were from Al Qaeda.” | |
| Update (1:03 PM): Widescale protests across France demonstrating solidarity with Charlie Hebdo have begun to be reported on social media. Tens of thousands of people are reported to have turned out to protests at the Place de la République in Paris, and at other protests in Lyon and Toulouse. | |
| The Committee to Protect Journalists has also released a statement describing the attack as “a brazen assault on free speech in the heart of Europe”. | |
| Political and religious leaders from around the world have expressed condemnations of the attack. The White House issued a statement condemning the attack, with John Kerry saying that he agreed with one French imam’s characterization of the victims as “martyrs for liberty“. The Arab League and officials from Al Azhar University have expressed condemnations and described the assault as a “criminal act”. | |
| Update (1:10PM): An audio recording of a statement from Philippe Vai, director of Charlie Hebdo, has been posted by Le Figaro. An English translation of an excerpt of the statement is as follows: | |
| “I’m doing quite badly, but that’s normal, no? I’ve lost all my friends today….” | |
| “It would be good to if tomorrow the newspapers call themselves Charlie Hebdo, if we title everything Charlie Hebdo, if all of France calls itself Charlie Hebdo. This will show that we’re not okay with this, that we’ll never accept it. We’ll never let go of liberty. (voice cracking) These were absolutely marvelous people…” | |
| We’ll continue to update this post as the situation develops. Our colleagues at reported.ly are aggregating additional information as it becomes available. | |
| Photo: YouTube | Photo: YouTube |