Charb

The massacre of 11 people at the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo earlier this month, in a series of terrorist attacks that also saw the murders of four Jewish hostages in a Paris kosher store and the executions of two police officers, has brought worldwide attention to a publication hitherto little-known outside of France. But the history of the magazine and its outstanding cartoonists remains obscure to many in the Anglophone world. Dan Israel presents here (cartoons included) the five-decade, two-generation story of an eclectic gang of irreverent, anarchic and unapologetic artists who made up the cream of post-war French cartoonists, and questions what will be their legacy.

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.