Gunmen kill 12 at Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo
Three suspects were identified late Wednesday in the hunt for the gunmen who earlier in the day attacked the offices of satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, which left 12 people dead and another 11 people wounded, four in a serious condition. Senior members of Charlie Hebdo’s senior editorial staff were killed in the attack, including editor Stéphane Charbonnier, and some of the country’s most celebrated cartoonists, Cabu, Philippe Honoré, Wolinski and Tignous. Economist Bernard Maris, columnist Elsa Cayat, copy editor Mustapha Ourrad, a visitor to the offices, a caretaker and a police officer - Charbonnier's personal guard - were also shot dead. Witnesses say the gunmen shouted “God is Greatest” in Arabic as they left the building, after which they shot dead another police officer during their getaway. One of the three suspects, initially believed to be the driver of the vehicle, has since been arrested after he reportedly presented himself to police in the eastern French town of Charleville-Mézières after seeing his name circulating on social media. Police identified the two main suspects as Saïd Kouachi, 34, and his brother Chérif Kouachi, 32. Late Wednesday evening, forensics officers searched an apartment in Reims, east of Paris, and police have detained seven people said to be close to the Kouachi brothers. Earlier on Wednesday President François Hollande revealed that “several terrorist attacks have been foiled in recent weeks”. On Wednesday evening an estimated 100,000 people gathered in cities and towns across France for a moving display of gatherings in solidarity with the victims of the attack. President Hollande announced that Thursday would be a day of mourning across France.
TwelveTwelve people, editorial staff and two police officers, were killed on Wednesday January 7th when two armed gunmen burst into the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and opened fire with assault rifles. Four others were in a critical condition and seven more were less seriously injured. Initial reports said just the two gunmen were involved but witnesses say there was also a third man, whose role may have been as getaway driver. Among those killed in the attack at the offices in rue Nicolas-Appert in Paris's 11th arrondissement just after 11am were the magazine's editor 'Charb', real name Stéphane Charbonnier, and prominent cartoonists Jean Cabut – 'Cabu' - Georges Wolinski, Philippe Honoré and Bernard Verlhac, who worked under the name 'Tignous'.
