12 Dead, 11 Wounded, in Paris Newspaper Massacre

Ten editorial staff members of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical French newspaper known for its controversial and at times offensive cartoons, and two police officers were murdered in what is being called a religious based terror attack.

Hooded gunman reportedly burst into the offices located in Paris' 11th Arrondissement neighborhood heavily armed with the Russian made Kalashnikovs (pronounced ka-lash-ni-cough) similar to an AK-47 and a rocket launcher shouting "We have avenged the prophet" and "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest).

The police officers, one on site inside the office assigned to protect Stephane Charbonnier, the magazine's Editor-in-Chief who was killed, and the other on the street responding to shots fired, were systematically executed without thought or concern. 

Eight journalists inside the offices were also killed including cartoonist Georges Wolinski and Berbard Verlhac. Bernard Maris, an economist and guest contributor who was visiting was also killed.

 

The news agency Reuters obtained an amateur video of the gunmen. Showing at least two suspects clothed in black masks exiting a black Citroen C3 car, standing in the street, armed and pointing their weapons.

The magazine has previously ran crude, coarse and vulgar depictions of the prophet Mohammed, and every other world leader, for which they had received numerous death threat from Islamic radicals.

For nearly nine years, before today's bloodbath in which the majority of the editorial staff was massacred, Charlie Hebdo, tagged "journal irresponable" had been targeted numerous times by Islamic zealots and was a high target on al-Qaida's hit list.

The offices were firebombed, the web site hacked, and with each attack the dedicated news staff refused to back down vowing never to negotiate or cower to terrorists.

Today, those most dedicated and with the most to lose, lost their fight.

World leaders have condemned the attack in the strongest possible language with the French elevating the terror threat level and surrounding nations responding accordingly.

A global manhunt is underway. The murderous attack motivated by free speech, and a refusal to censor is the worst in more than two decades.

This is a developing story

Image secured by Reuters

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