Updates on Search for Suspects in Paris Newspaper Shooting - NYTimes.comUpdates on Search for Suspects in Paris Newspaper Shooting - NYTimes.com




Sections
Home
Search
Skip to content












                News            

|
        Updates on Search for Suspects in Paris Newspaper Shooting        
    






Search


Log In

 0
Settings




Close search

search sponsored by






Search NYTimes.com



Clear this text input



Go











Loading...




See next articles





See previous articles













                                Home Page                                                            



                                Home Page                                                            



                                World                                                                    




                                U.S.                                                                    




                                Politics                                                                    




                                New York                                                                    




                                Business                                                                    




                                Business                                                                    




                                Opinion                                                                    




                                Opinion                                                                    




                                Technology                                                                    




                                Science                                                                    




                                Health                                                                    




                                Sports                                                                    




                                Sports                                                                    








                                Arts                                                                    




                                Arts                                                                    




                                Fashion & Style                                                                    




                                Fashion & Style                                                                    




                                Food                                                                    




                                Food                                                                    




                                Home & Garden                                                            



                                Travel                                                            



                                Magazine                                                            



                                Real Estate                                                                    




                                Obituaries                                                            







                                Video                                                                    




                                The Upshot                                                            







                                More                                                                    





 










                                Africa                                                            



                                Americas                                                            



                                Asia Pacific                                                            



                                Europe                                                            



                                Middle East                                                            



                                At War                                                            



                                India Ink                                                            



                                Sinosphere                                                            







                                Education                                                            







                                First Draft                                                            



                                Elections                                                            







                                City Room                                                            



                                ArtsBeat                                                            



                                Events                                                            







                                DealBook                                                            



                                Economy                                                            



                                Energy                                                            



                                Markets                                                            



                                Media                                                            



                                Small Business                                                            



                                Your Money                                                            







                                DealBook                                                            



                                Economy                                                            



                                Energy                                                            



                                Markets                                                            



                                Media                                                            



                                Small Business                                                            



                                Your Money                                                            







                                Op-Ed Columnists                                                                    









                                Editorials                                                            



                                Contributing Writers                                                            



                                Op-Ed Contributors                                                            



                                Opinionator                                                            



                                Letters                                                            



                                Sunday Review                                                            



                                Taking Note                                                            



                                Room for Debate                                                            



                                Public Editor                                                            



                                Cartoons                                                            







                                Op-Ed Columnists                                                                    









                                Editorials                                                            



                                Contributing Writers                                                            



                                Op-Ed Contributors                                                            



                                Opinionator                                                            



                                Letters                                                            



                                Sunday Review                                                            



                                Taking Note                                                            



                                Room for Debate                                                            



                                Public Editor                                                            



                                Cartoons                                                            







                                Bits                                                            



                                Personal Tech                                                            







                                Environment                                                            



                                Space & Cosmos                                                            







                                Well                                                            



                                Health Guide                                                            



                                Fitness & Nutrition                                                            



                                Money & Policy                                                            



                                The New Old Age                                                            



                                Views                                                            







                                Baseball                                                            



                                Basketball: College                                                            



                                Basketball: N.B.A.                                                            



                                Football: College                                                            



                                Football: N.F.L.                                                            



                                Golf                                                            



                                Hockey                                                            



                                Soccer                                                            



                                Tennis                                                            







                                Baseball                                                            



                                Basketball: College                                                            



                                Basketball: N.B.A.                                                            



                                Football: College                                                            



                                Football: N.F.L.                                                            



                                Golf                                                            



                                Hockey                                                            



                                Soccer                                                            



                                Tennis                                                            







                                Art & Design                                                            



                                ArtsBeat                                                            



                                Books                                                            



                                Dance                                                            



                                Movies                                                            



                                Music                                                            



                                N.Y.C. Events Guide                                                            



                                Television                                                            



                                Theater                                                            



                                Video Games                                                            







                                Art & Design                                                            



                                ArtsBeat                                                            



                                Books                                                            



                                Dance                                                            



                                Movies                                                            



                                Music                                                            



                                N.Y.C. Events Guide                                                            



                                Television                                                            



                                Theater                                                            



                                Video Games                                                            







                                T Magazine                                                            



                                Motherlode                                                            



                                On the Runway                                                            



                                Weddings                                                            







                                T Magazine                                                            



                                Motherlode                                                            



                                On the Runway                                                            



                                Weddings                                                            







                                Cooking                                                            



                                Restaurant Search                                                            







                                Cooking                                                            



                                Restaurant Search                                                            







                                Commercial Real Estate                                                            



                                Great Homes & Destinations                                                            



                                My Real Estate                                                            







                                U.S. & Politics                                                            



                                International                                                            



                                New York                                                            



                                Opinion                                                            



                                Times Documentaries                                                            



                                Business                                                            



                                Technology                                                            



                                Culture                                                            



                                Style                                                            



                                Health                                                            



                                Food                                                            



                                Travel                                                            



                                Sports                                                            



                                Real Estate                                                            



                                Science                                                            







                                Crossword                                                            



                                Times Premier                                                            







                                Today's Paper                                                            



                                Automobiles                                                            



                                Corrections                                                            







                                Multimedia                                                            



                                Photography                                                            







                                Classifieds                                                            



                                Tools & Services                                                            



                                Jobs                                                            



                                Times Topics                                                            



                                Blogs                                                            



                                NYT Store                                                            



                                Times Journeys                                                            



                                Subscribe                                                            



                                Manage Account                                                            











                            Charles M. Blow                                                    



                            David Brooks                                                    



                            Frank Bruni                                                    



                            Roger Cohen                                                    



                            Gail Collins                                                    



                            Ross Douthat                                                    



                            Maureen Dowd                                                    



                            Thomas L. Friedman                                                    



                            Nicholas Kristof                                                    



                            Paul Krugman                                                    



                            Joe Nocera                                                    





                            Charles M. Blow                                                    



                            David Brooks                                                    



                            Frank Bruni                                                    



                            Roger Cohen                                                    



                            Gail Collins                                                    



                            Ross Douthat                                                    



                            Maureen Dowd                                                    



                            Thomas L. Friedman                                                    



                            Nicholas Kristof                                                    



                            Paul Krugman                                                    



                            Joe Nocera                                                    


 










 Europe Updates on Search for Suspects in Paris Newspaper Shooting



					By Mike Mcphate and Robert Mackey				
January 7, 2015
January 7, 2015 








Updates on Search for Suspects in Paris Newspaper Shooting

                    By Mike Mcphate and Robert Mackey 
January 7, 2015 8:05 am
January 7, 2015 8:05 am 




Slide Show



Masked gunmen opened fire in the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper, on Wednesday.





8:37 P.M. Hunt for Suspects Leads Police to Reims


As we wrap the live blog just after 2:30 a.m. local time Thursday, or 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in New York, the ongoing hunt for the suspects has led the police to the French city of Reims, where the operation is being observed by journalists and residents, according to reports from the scene.
Strange situation in #Reims. French TV shows police anti terror operation, but public still walking around area. http://t.co/pwgpIhHvjV
— Richard Gaisford (@richardgaisford) 7 Jan 15

Policiers sortent de l’appartau 1er d’un des présumés terroristes . #AttentatCharlieHebdo #CHARLIE_HEBDO @ParisMatch http://t.co/aFlGh0eyoA
— Emilie Blachere (@EmilieBlachere) 7 Jan 15

Fouille appart d’un présumé terroriste quartier Croix rouge Reims #CHARLIE_HEBDO @ParisMatch http://t.co/koBoJKRXm5
— Emilie Blachere (@EmilieBlachere) 8 Jan 15

Mood outside Reims block of flats is relaxed. Police commandos pulled back. Killer(s) not here if they ever were.
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) 8 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY



8:23 P.M. Names of the Dead Confirmed by French Media


The French newspapers Le Monde and Le Figaro have published the names of the 12 people killed in Wednesday’s attack on Charlie Hebdo, the satirical weekly.
The gunmen, who shouted that they had “avenged Muhammad” for the mockery of his image took the lives of five leading editorial cartoonists: Stéphane Charbonnier, 47, who was known professionally as Charb; Jean Cabut, 76, who used the pen name Cabu; Georges Wolinski, 80; Philippe Honoré, 73; and Bernard Verlhac, 57, who wrote as Tignous. 
Also killed were Bernard Maris, a columnist, Elsa Cayat, a psychoanalyst who wrote regularly for the weekly, and Mustapha Ourrad, identified as a copy editor of Algerian descent by The New Yorker.
A visitor to the magazine, Michel Renaud, also died in the attack, as did Frédéric Boisseau, a 42-year-old maintenance worker in the building.
Two police officers were among the victims. Franck Brinsolaro, a 49-year-old who was assigned to protect Mr. Charbonnier after a previous attack was killed in the office. Ahmed Merabet, 42, was the wounded officer who was seen being executed on a street near the office as the gunmen fled, according to Le Figaro.
François Molins, the Paris prosecutor, announced that eleven more people were wounded, four of them seriously, including the journalist Philippe Lançon and two police officers.
— ROBERT MACKEY



6:52 P.M. French Media Groups Promise to Ensure ‘Charlie Lives’


In a joint statement issued after the attack on Wednesday, the directors of Le Monde and the two state broadcasters Radio France and France Télévisions promised to provide all the material and human resources the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo might need to keep publishing.
[Communiqué de presse] #CharlieHebdo Les groupes @Francetele @radiofrance et @lemondefr : “Pour que Charlie Vive” http://t.co/UrMJR7Tj4f
— France Télévisions (@Francetele) 7 Jan 15

The effort was necessary, the three directors said, “to preserve the principles of independence and freedom of thought and expression,” which they called “the guarantors of our democracy.”
— ROBERT MACKEY



6:24 P.M. Suspects Named by French Police


The three men suspected of carrying out Wednesday’s deadly assault on the offices of the French satirical paper Charlie Hebdo are Said and Cherif Kouachi, French brothers in their early 30s, and Hamyd Mourad, 18, police officials told The Associated Press.
Cherif Kouachi was arrested in Paris in 2005 as he prepared to go to Iraq to take part in the Islamist insurgency there. When he was convicted three years later — along with a number of young men known as the “19th arrondissement cell” for the working-class Paris neighborhood where most of the suspects grew up — Mr. Kouachi did not go to prison because of time spent in pretrial detention, Bloomberg News reported. 
During his trial in 2008, Mr. Kouachi said that he had been driven to take up arms by images of the torture and humiliation of Muslims at the hands American soldiers in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Kouachi had wanted to attack Jewish targets in France, but had been dissuaded by a preacher who encouraged him to go to Iraq instead. In court in 2008, Mr. Kouachi, who smoked marijuana when not studying Islam, had insisted that his main interest was hip-hop, not jihad.
As my colleague Elaine Sciolino reported at the time, “prosecutors presented no evidence that any of the young men intended to carry out terrorist attacks against France. Their only training in France was jogging in the wooded Buttes-Chaumont park in their neighborhood and minimal consultation of basic weapons manuals.” According to a contemporary report from Le Monde, the men had learned the rudiments of firing a Kalashnikov, the type of rifle that seems to have been used to kill 12 people on Wednesday.
Copies of documents said to show the faces of the brothers were posted online by De Telegraaf, a Dutch newspaper, and shared on Twitter by Geert Wilders, the anti-Islam politician.
Saïd Kouachi, Sheirf Kouachi, Hamid Mourad. http://t.co/wHaTymbXo0
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) 7 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY



4:58 P.M. Cartoonist Mourned by Daughter on Instagram


Elsa Wolinski, the daughter of one of the cartoonists killed, Georges Wolinski, mourned for her father on Instagram, where she posted a photograph of his desk with a caption that said her father was gone, but not his work.
PhotoA screenshot of an image posted on Instagram on Wednesday by Elsa Wolinski, whose father, Georges Wolinski, was killed in Wednesday's attack.Credit Elsa Wolinski, via Instagram
— ROBERT MACKEY



4:14 P.M. Suspects Have Been Identified, French Media Reports


Citing unnamed police sources, the French daily Le Monde reports that three suspects have been identified. 
De sources policières obtenues par “Le Monde”, les trois suspects de l’attaque ont été identifiés http://t.co/1lUvSFZZ8L
— Le Monde Live (@lemondelive) 7 Jan 15

The newspaper Le Point adds that the police are looking for two brothers, identified only as Saïd and Cherif K., who have been on the radar of the intelligence services, and an 18-year-old accomplice who might have driven the car for the gunmen.
According to Le Point, investigators discovered an ID card for one of the men in the Citroën C3 they abandoned after the attack.
Police sources told Reuters that they are searching for two brothers from the Paris region and a man from the northeastern city of Reims, all French nationals, and that one of the brothers had previously been tried on terrorism charges.
— ROBERT MACKEY



2:46 P.M. Solidarity Rallies in Paris, London and Berlin


There have been rallies in solidarity with the victims of the attack and the satirical magazine in Paris and other cities in France and across Europe, including Berlin and London.
Foule de plus en plus dense Place de la République #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/47up3zbLZB
— Maxime Goldbaum (@MaximeGoldbaum) 7 Jan 15

Paris – Place de la République bondée ! La France rassemblée ! #JeSuisCharlie http://t.co/erXMuEVIJ2
— Benjamin Buffault (@BBuffault) 7 Jan 15

#JeSuisCharlie: Les Berlinois se rassemblent dvt l’Ambassade de #France en solidarité ac #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/tZVcM1KJT2 MT @AnneLaumen
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) 7 Jan 15

Tears , silence and a chorus the Marseillaise among hundreds gathered in Trafalgar Sq #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/1zUFC29iB4
— Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) 7 Jan 15

Our colleague Aurélien Breeden spoke to some of the thousands who gathered in the Place de la République in Paris.
Christian Jonon, 58, a Paris town hall employee, was finishing work when he headed to the demonstration. “Freedom of expression is under attack,” he said. “I don’t read it regularly but I appreciate some of the cartoonists who were killed today, some of which I’d been following since I was a child. Their death deeply moves me.”
Laura Cornuault, 24, an intern, and Marie Peigné-Michel, 25, who is unemployed, both said that they only read Charlie Hebdo occasionally but were very respectful of its work. 
“We want to show the unity of the French people,” Ms. Cornuault said. “There has been a rise in extremisms lately, and it is very strong to see everybody gathered here, calmly.”
“Something horrible happened, and we want to show that we are not afraid,” Ms. Peigné-Michel said.
“I don’t think this will be the last terrorist attack, but we have to go on living,” Ms. Peigné-Michel added. “Two or three attackers won’t succeed in preventing a whole country from expressing itself.”
Crowd chants ‘we are not afraid,’ ‘we are all #Charlie’ and ‘Charlie, Charlie, Char-liberty!’ http://t.co/qwGtHYbtzR
— Aurélien Breeden (@aurelienbrd) 7 Jan 15

Parisians spontaneously gathered here with candles, #JeSuisCharlie placards and French flags http://t.co/0Vjr1PliHM
— Aurélien Breeden (@aurelienbrd) 7 Jan 15

#JeSuisCharlie #Paris http://t.co/FrE8kB23aa
— Sruthi Gottipati (@GoSruthi) 7 Jan 15

— AURELIEN BREEDEN AND ROBERT MACKEY



2:23 P.M. What Is Charlie Hebdo?


In a new article on Charlie Hebdo and the cartoonists who were killed on Wednesday, our colleague Ravi Somaiya explains that the satirical publication — whose name is a mashed-up reference to Charlie Brown and a French word for “weekly” — is a 45-year-old newspaper, “part of a long tradition in France of using satire and insolence,” that “regularly targets politicians, the police, bankers, religion and religious figures — from popes to prophets. This week’s issue included a mock debate about whether Jesus exists.”
Stéphane Charbonnier, the editorial director and cartoonist known professionally as Charb, was among 12 people killed Wednesday when gunmen attacked his newspaper’s offices in Paris. His final cartoon was one mocking the Islamic extremists who have threatened France.
Les derniers dessins de Charb, Cabu et Wolinski http://t.co/AkXeBMkUO3 http://t.co/XrPjUyBhhM
— les inrocks (@lesinrocks) 7 Jan 15

Mr. Charbonnier had been instrumental in a series of defiant campaigns that divided public opinion — some saw them as powerful stands for free speech, and others as needless provocations.
He oversaw the publication of a spoof issue in 2011, advertised as guest edited by the Prophet Muhammad, which led to the paper’s offices being firebombed.
In 2012, Mr. Charbonnier defied the advice of the French government and published crude caricatures of Muhammad, shown naked and in sexual poses. Depictions of the prophet, even if reverent, are forbidden under Islamic law. One of the people killed Wednesday was a police officer assigned to guard the paper’s offices after those episodes.
Two of the magazine’s founding cartoonists, Jean Cabut, who used the pen name Cabu, and Georges Wolinski, were also killed, along with Bernard Verlhac, who used the pen name Tignous.









Video of Tignous, a French cartoonist killed on Wednesday, from Clowns Sans Frontieres.
Another victim, Bernard Maris, recently wrote a cover story about “Submission,” a new novel by Michel Houellebecq that imagines the rapid “Islamization” of France following the election of the country’s first Muslim president in 2022.
They killed Bernard Maris, who wrote the cover story about Houellebecq. #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/IV7Cexp51O
— Elif Batuman (@BananaKarenina) 7 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY AND RAVI SOMAIYA



2:14 P.M. Video of Attackers Posted Online by Witnesses


At least three witnesses shared video of shots being fired by the attackers in Paris on Wednesday.

Video





Play Video|1:05
Witness Videos of Paris Terror Attack




Witness Videos of Paris Terror Attack

Several videos showing the gunmen outside the office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper, have surfaced online. The footage includes scenes of graphic violence.

                                    Video by Natalia V. Osipova                     on
                                                        Publish Date January 7, 2015.
                            

                                    Photo by Jordi Mir, via Reuters.
                                




One of those clips was posted on Facebook by a witness named Jordi Mir, and later removed from the social network for reasons that remain unclear, but could relate to the fact that the footage showed clear images of a wounded police officer being executed by one of the attackers. 
As they ran back to their car, the attackers shouted, “We have avenged Prophet Muhammad. We have killed Charlie Hebdo.”
Mr. Mir also shared a still image of the aftermath of that killing on the Boulevard Richard Lenoir. (That image was also removed from public view later on Wednesday.)
As the journalists Elijah J. Magnier and Hala Jaber pointed out, the video of the officer being killed was quickly repackaged in online propaganda by supporters of Islamic State militants.
#IS FB Fanboy has already re-cut #CharlieHedbo #Paris attack footage w/ #IS Nasheed in background https://t.co/Zp7AzkYUki v @TRACterrorism
— Elijah J. Magnier (@EjmAlrai) 7 Jan 15

. 2/ Video with the #ISIS Nasheed & poster below with the new hashtag now running in Arabic #WeAvengedTheMessegner http://t.co/HebRrqnnPM
— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) 7 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY



1:29 P.M. France Is ‘in Shock,’ Hollande Says


Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, President François Hollande of France said his nation was “in shock” over the deadly attack on the Paris headquarters of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Video





Play Video|0:19
Hollande Reacts to Charlie Hebdo Attack




Hollande Reacts to Charlie Hebdo Attack

President François Hollande of France said the shooting at the headquarters of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo was “a terrorist attack.”

Publish Date January 7, 2015.
                            

                                    Photo by Kenzo Tribouillard/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images.
                                




— ROBERT MACKEY



12:46 P.M. Obama Calls Attacks ‘Cowardly, Evil’


Speaking from the White House, President Obama condemned the “cowardly, evil attacks” in Paris.
He extended the country’s sympathies to the families of the victims and to the French people as a whole.
“All of us recognize that France is one of our oldest allies, our strongest allies,” he said. “They have been with us at every moment from 9/11 on dealing with some of the terrorist organizations around world that threaten us.”
He called Paris a beautiful city that is “so central to our imaginations,” with ideals of free expression that will endure. 
Vowing U.S. support in hunting down the perpetrators, he added “those who carry out senseless attacks against innocent civilians, ultimately they will be forgotten.” 
WATCH: Full NBC News Special Report: President Obama comments on Paris attack http://t.co/1r8L1K57b7
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) 7 Jan 15

— MIKE MCPHATE



12:23 P.M. ‘No Direct Threat’ to New York, Police Say


New York City’s police department issued a statement saying it was coordinating with one of its detectives stationed in Paris as it monitors the situation there. The police commissioner, William J. Bratton, said no direct threat to New York had been detected. 
There is NO direct threat to NYC – @CommissBratton speaking on recent attack in Paris.
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 7 Jan 15




11:55 A.M. Gatherings Across Europe in Wake of Attack


PhotoA woman held up a placard that translates to "I am Charlie" as she and others gathered at the Place de la République in Paris.Credit Joel Saget/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Since the midafternoon, a crowd has been growing at the Place de la République in the heart of Paris. More than 11,000 people indicated on Facebook that they would attend the gathering.
There were calls on social media to join gatherings in cities across Europe. A blog hosted by the French daily Le Monde carried a map with details of demonstrations around France and abroad. Gatherings were planned in London, Berlin, Montreal and Brussels.


Pictures on Twitter show many of those gathered in Paris holding signs that say “Je suis Charlie,” the slogan that has been widely adopted on social media in solidarity with the victims. 
Foule de plus en plus dense Place de la République #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/47up3zbLZB
— Maxime Goldbaum (@MaximeGoldbaum) 7 Jan 15

— PALKO KARASZ AND CLAIRE BARTHELEMY



11:54 A.M. Kerry: France Understands Price of Freedom


Speaking to reporters at the State Department, Secretary of State John Kerry said every American stood with the people of France.  
He sought to place Wednesday’s attack in a historical context.
“No country knows better than France that freedom has a price, because France gave birth to democracy itself,” Mr. Kerry said. “France sparked so many revolutions of the human spirit born of freedom and of free expression. And that is what the extremists fear the most.”
Watch @JohnKerry’s remarks on attacks at #CharlieHebdo in Paris.  http://t.co/wyTp9RxbzP
— Department of State (@StateDept) 7 Jan 15




11:16 A.M. Statement From Salman Rushdie on Attack


The novelist Salman Rushdie released a statement blaming “religious totalitarianism” for the attack and speaking of “a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam.”
Thank you, @SalmanRushdie http://t.co/R9GDwgk6oZ #JeSuisCharlie
— English PEN (@englishpen) 7 Jan 15

Mr. Rushdie, who was forced to spend nearly a decade in hiding after the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for his death in 1989, for basing a fictional character on the Prophet Muhammad in his novel “The Satanic Verses,” added:
I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. ‘Respect for religion’ has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion.’ Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.

— ROBERT MACKEY



10:41 A.M. Mixed Reaction From Social Media Users in Arab World 


The news from Paris swiftly took over the conversation on social media in the Arab world on Wednesday, as users who had been obsessing about a winter storm sweeping the Middle East turned instead to discussing the attack. Many condemned the violence and lamented the anti-Muslim backlash they thought would follow, but some called it a victory or “a blessed invasion.” 
A Twitter user who calls himself Abu Obaida al-Libi, borrowing an alias used by militants who have been killed in Libya or Syria, shared a photograph that appeared to show one of the Paris attackers pointing an automatic rifle at a victim, with the hashtag in Arabic, #WeAvengedTheProphet.
In another tweet, the same user hailed “a powerful operation in France” against “a paper known for its abuse of Islam” and said, “The next is worse.”

Many tweets seemed to indicate sympathy for the attack from people who admire the Islamic State extremist group, rather than any knowledge that that group was specifically responsible for the attack. One user seeking to draw a link posted a picture of a man wearing a many-pocketed khaki vest and said, “One of the brothers is wearing the Adnani ammunition vest. You pleased our hearts, one of the attackers is saying ‘God is Great’ (Allahu Akbar) in the middle of Paris.” (Abu Mohammad al-Adnani is an ISIS leader and spokesman who has been photographed in such a vest.)
An account that appeared to support Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula also celebrated the attack, saying that those who insult the Prophet Mohammad deserve death: “Being executed was the light punishment. Next comes eternity in the #Hellfire.”
Internet servers in some Arab countries, already slowed by the winter storm, were reduced to barely functioning as large numbers of users rushed to view video images of the attacks that were posted online. 
Social media in Arabic, English and French was also flooded with condemnation of the attack from users in or from the Arab world, the region that has faced the most violence from groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State and where some sectors of society fear growing Islamist influence in politics and society.
Randa Slim, a Lebanese political analyst, tweeted in English, “Men dressed in black flee in a black car scene where they murdered innocent human beings while shouting Allah Akbar. What has become of us?” The journalist and filmmaker Habib Battah responded: “Disturbed Individuals are not representative of ‘us,’ whether they are shooting up schools, cinemas or newspapers.”
In Lebanon, Ayman Mhanna, an official with the Samir Kassir Foundation, which advocates free speech and secular liberalism, tweeted in French: “Going further in refusing any form of censorship, the sole response in the face of criminals and fanatics!”
Mustapha Hamoui, a Lebanese blogger, tweeted simply: “The day Marine Le Pen became president … # CharlieHebdo,” suggesting that the reaction to the attack would be a surge in support for the far right, anti-immigrant National Front party led by Ms. Le Pen. 
Syrian social media users, both pro- and anti-government, shared messages admonishing the West for having ignored the Islamic State as it slaughtered Syrians, and then confronting it only after it began to kill Westerners.
Meanwhile, accounts that have typically praised jihadists cheered the Paris attack. One whose profile picture is an Islamic State slogan (“It will remain and it will grow”) called the attack “a stunning offensive” by “lone wolves.” Another, Abu al-Baraa al Muwahid, called the attack “the French version” of Salil al-Sawarim, or the Rattling of the Sabers, a propaganda film distributed by the Islamic State, and referred to a police officer killed in the attack as a “locust”; that account was later suspended.
— ANNE BARNARD AND HWAIDA SAAD



10:37 A.M. Security at Paris Airport Is Increased


Philippe Riffaut, the head of the police at Charles de Gaulle Airport, northeast of Paris, said that there was an enhanced police presence at the airport, which has 155,000 to 160,000 passengers a day, but said that there were no plans for additional measures that would disrupt air traffic to and from the French capital.
“All flights are operating normally,” Mr. Riffaut said. “At the moment, we see no justification, based on the nature of the events, to introduce any additional measures that would be constraining for airport passengers.”
Public transportation networks within Paris, as well as long-distance train services to and from the capital, were also operating normally, officials said.
Security on public transportation and in numerous public spaces across France was increased in September amid growing concerns about the threat of terrorism and after a series of kidnappings of French nationals abroad by jihadist groups.
— NICOLA CLARK



10:36 A.M. Live Video From Scene of the Attack


Agence France-Presse is providing a live video stream from the scene of the attack on Charlie Hebdo, as law enforcement works to retrieve evidence from a cordoned-off area.  












10:00 A.M. Muslim Leader in France Condemns Attack


PhotoDalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque in Paris, expressed horror about the attack.Credit Francois Mori/Associated Press
Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque in Paris, one of France’s largest, expressed horror at the assault on Charlie Hebdo.
“We are horrified by the brutal and ferocious attack at the Charlie Hebdo offices. We are shocked and surprised that something like this could happen in the center of Paris. But where are we?
“We strongly condemn these kind of acts and we expect the authorities to take the most appropriate measures. Our community is stunned by what just happened. It’s a whole section of our democracy that is seriously affected. This is a deafening declaration of war. Times have changed, and we are now entering a new era of confrontation.” 



9:43 A.M. Official Identifies Two Victims, A.P. Reports


PhotoJean Cabut, a cartoonist who used the pen name Cabu.Credit Bertrand Guay/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
PhotoStéphane Charbonnier, the director of the publication, who used the pen name Charb.Credit Francois Guillot/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The 12 dead included Stéphane Charbonnier, the director of the publication, who used the pen name Charb, and Jean Cabut, a cartoonist who used the pen name Cabu, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
In an interview with a French magazine last month, Mr. Cabut was asked whether it was acceptable to draw and laugh about anything.
“Sometimes laughter can hurt, but laughter, humor and mockery are our only weapons,” he said.
— THE ASSOCIATED PRESS



9:24 A.M. Official Says 3 Gunmen Carried Out Attack, A.P. Reports



BREAKING: France’s top security official confirms 3 gunmen carried out deadly attack on French paper.
— The Associated Press (@AP) 7 Jan 15




9:23 A.M. Images of the Attackers Battling the Police in Paris


Witnesses shared images of a gun battle between two militants and French police officers after the deadly attack on the offices of the satirical weekly in Paris. 
Video recorded by the French journalist Martin Boudot from a nearby rooftop as shots were fired — and the attackers shouted “Allahu Akbar,” or “God Is Great” — was posted on Dailymotion by French state television.
VIDEO. Des images de l'attaque au siège de… by francetvinfo
France 24 broadcast video recorded by another witness to shooting on another street that appeared to show clear images of the gunmen firing at officers before driving from the scene. The broadcaster chose to edit out the killing of a wounded officer by one militant.










Video broadcast by France 24 of a gun battle between militants and the police Wednesday in Paris.
An image of a police car’s shattered windshield after the shooting was shared on Twitter by Julien Rebucci of the website LesInrocks.
Impacts d un fusil type kalachnikov @Charlie_Hebdo_ http://t.co/0QLG30C8Fl
— Julien Rebucci (@julienrbcc) 7 Jan 15

Elise Barthet, a journalist for Le Monde, shared a photograph taken by a textile designer whose studio is close to the office of the weekly that appeared to show the attackers blocked on another street by a police car.
Les tireurs de #ChalieHebdo face à une voiture de police. Ils ont fait feu, les policiers ont répliqué puis reculé http://t.co/Ld1sxkRLvW
— Elise Barthet (@EliseBarthet) 7 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY



9:19 A.M. White House Condemns ‘Horrific Act’



“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France” — President Obama http://t.co/ZzVOyGNzfK
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) 7 Jan 15




8:54 A.M. ‘I Am Charlie’ Solidarity Message Spreads on Twitter


As our colleague Hannah Olivennes reports, Twitter users have been sharing a message and hashtag that says “Je Suis Charlie,” or “I Am Charlie,” to express solidarity with those killed and wounded in the attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday in Paris.
#CharlieHebdo Here’s the “I am Charlie” image that is going viral on profile pics on Twitter and Facebook: http://t.co/IC66hx27VW
— Hannah Olivennes (@HannahOlivennes) 7 Jan 15


The newspaper’s own Twitter account was updated just before the attack on its offices was reported, with a cartoon wishing “all the best” to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State militants.
Meilleurs vœux, au fait. http://t.co/a2JOhqJZJM
— Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) 7 Jan 15

— ROBERT MACKEY



8:49 A.M. Attackers Remain at Large


PhotoAn image from video on Facebook thought to show gunmen shooting a police officer outside the offices of Charlie Hebdo.Credit 
The gunmen in the attack on Charlie Hebdo fled by car.
The police said that their abandoned vehicle was found in the 20th Arrondissement of Paris, in the northeast of the city.
— MAÏA DE LA BAUME AND DAN BILEFSKY



8:44 A.M. Attackers ‘Pleased Our Hearts,’ Twitter Post Says 


A Twitter user calling himself Abu al-Baraa al-Tawhidi posted a picture of the alleged attackers, apparently a screen grab from one of the widely circulated videos, with the comment: “One of the brothers is wearing the Adnani ammunition vest. You pleased our hearts, one of the attackers is saying ‘God is Great’ (Allahu Akbar) in the middle of Paris.” 
Adnani appears to be a reference to Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, a spokesman for the Islamic State who has been photographed wearing khaki-colored, multipocketed vests.
— ANNE BARNARD AND HWAIDA SAAD



8:20 A.M. An Attack on Freedom of Expression, Merkel Says


In a condolence letter addressed to President François Hollande of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany expressed condolences on behalf of the German people, saying, “In this difficult hour, we stand close at the side of our French friends.” 
“This horrible act is not only an attack on the lives of French citizens and the domestic security of France,” Ms. Merkel said. “It also stands as an attack on the freedom of expression and the press, a core element of our free, democratic culture that can in no way be justified.”
— MELISSA EDDY



8:08 A.M. Current Issue of Charlie Hebdo


PhotoThe cover of the current issue of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.Credit  This week’s issue of Charlie Hebdo features a caricature of Michel Houellebecq, a controversial author who has been at the center of a media firestorm over the publication of his new novel, which depicts an Islamic France in 2022 with a Muslim president.
The novel, “Submission,” has drawn condemnation from some who feel that it amounts to anti-Islamic scare-mongering.



7:53 A.M. France Raises Terror Alert to Highest Level



MORE: France raises alert to highest level, reinforces security at houses of worship, stores,  and offices: http://t.co/ZZGrtJB4dd
— The Associated Press (@AP) 7 Jan 15




7:50 A.M. Public Schools Are Closed in Paris



France 2: Public schools suspended in Paris for the day. Security in transport amped up. Gunmen in the #CharlieHebdo attack still at large.
— Rachel Donadio — NYT (@RachelDonadio) 7 Jan 15




7:48 A.M. A Newspaper With a Penchant for the Provocative 


The weekly Charlie Hebdo has long tested limits with its satire. In 2011, an edition titled “Charia Hebdo” was billed as being “guest edited” by the Prophet Muhammad, who appeared in a cartoon on the cover.



7:41 A.M. Hollande to Hold Emergency Cabinet Meeting



President François Hollande will hold an emergency meeting of the French cabinet at 2pm Paris time, 8am EST.
— Rachel Donadio — NYT (@RachelDonadio) 7 Jan 15




7:36 A.M. Cameron on the Attack



The murders in Paris are sickening. We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) 7 Jan 15










Europe, World, 
blockinterstitial, Charlie Hebdo, Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides, Paris (France), Terrorism 





More on nytimes.com


 






 











Site Index



News


World


U.S.


Politics


New York


Business


Technology


Science


Health


Sports


Education


Obituaries


Today's Paper


Corrections




Opinion


Today's Opinion


Op-Ed Columnists


Editorials


Contributing Writers


Op-Ed Contributors


Opinionator


Letters


Sunday Review


Taking Note


Room for Debate


Public Editor


Video: Opinion




Arts


Today's Arts


Art & Design


ArtsBeat


Books


Dance


Movies


Music


N.Y.C. Events Guide


Television


Theater


Video Games


Video: Arts




Living


Automobiles


Crossword


Food


Education


Fashion & Style


Health


Home & Garden


Jobs


Magazine


N.Y.C. Events Guide


Real Estate


T Magazine


Travel


Weddings & Celebrations




Listings & More


Classifieds


Tools & Services


Times Topics


Public Editor


N.Y.C. Events Guide


TV Listings


Blogs


Cartoons


Multimedia


Photography


Video


NYT Store


Times Journeys


Subscribe


Manage My Account




Subscribe

Subscribe


Times Premier



Home Delivery



Digital Subscriptions



NYT Opinion



Crossword




Email Newsletters


Alerts


Gift Subscriptions


Corporate Subscriptions


Education Rate




Mobile Applications


Replica Edition


International New York Times





 




                    © 2015

 The New York Times Company




Contact Us
Work With Us
Advertise
Your Ad Choices
Privacy
Terms of Service
Terms of Sale




Site Map
Help
Site Feedback
Subscriptions


 










