Suspected Islamic terrorists attack French Newspaper Charlie Hebdo. At least 12 killed

Suspected Islamic terrorists attack French Newspaper Charlie Hebdo. At least 12 killed

Twelve people, 10 journalists and two policemen, have been killed, and 10 others wounded in the shooting massacre at the Paris headquarters of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Three of the wounded are in critical condition.

The brazen attack is suspected to have been carried out by Islamic terrorists. Charlie Hebdo is a controversial French satirical newspaper that was under attack over the publication of caricatures of Muslim leaders and the Prophet Mohammed in 2011. A witness told France Info media outlet that the assailants said: “We will avenge the Prophet.”

French President Francois Hollande arrived at the scene of the shooting, and will shortly hold an emergency government meeting, according to Reuters, citing a source at the president’s office.

Hollande confirmed the deaths, and said that at least 40 were “saved.”

The numbers of victims is likely to rise, the French president added. Hollande also stated that "several terrorist attacks have been prevented in recent weeks."

Security levels in Paris have been stepped up.

"Two black-hooded men entered the building with Kalashnikovs. A few minutes later we heard lots of shots," a witness told local TV station iTele, adding that the men were then seen fleeing the building.

According to some sources, there were three armed men involved in the shooting. About thirty shots were fired, according to Reuters.

A manhunt is currently underway in Paris, Le Point reported, with the anti-crime brigade (BAC) chasing two armed men in the eleventh district of Paris.

"It's a massacre. There are dead!" an employee of the newspaper told French media outlet 20 minutes, and then the call disconnected.

The Life of Mohammed published by Charlie Hebdo in 2013 may have sparked the attacks today

Charlie Hebdo published a special issue containing cartoons on the life of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed on 2nd January, 2013. Similar images, which are deemed blasphemous by Muslims, have sparked international protest in the past.

Followers of Islam believe that Mohammed cannot be captured in an image by human hand, and that to attempt to do so is an insult to Allah.

But the publisher of Charlie Hebdo magazine said the 64-page issue, titled 'The Life of Mohammed,' is “halal” because it was researched and edited by Muslim scholars and historians.

"It is a biography authorized by Islam since it was edited by Muslims…I don’t think higher Muslims could find anything inappropriate," publisher Stephane Charbonnier told AFP.

-Culled from RT