Gunmen storm Paris magazine office

PARIS (巴黎) was on high alert after hooded gunmen stormed the offices of a weekly satirical magazine known for lampooning radical Islam (伊斯蘭教), killing at least 12 people, including two police officers in the worst militant attack on French (法國的) soil in recent decades.

Victims included three cartoonists and the chief editor of Charlie Hebdo《查理周刊》) who had been holding a morning meeting when the assailants armed with AK-47 rifles opened fire, officials said.

Police said witnesses heard the attackers shout “we have avenged the prophet” and “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest).

President Francois Hollande (奧朗德) rushed to the scene of what he called “an act of exceptional barbarism”.

One of the men was captured on video shouting “Allah (真主 )!” as four shots rang out. Two assailants were then seen calmly leaving the scene. Police said the assailants remained at large and there were fears of further attacks.

The gunmen were brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi and they were hunted by armed officers. They were tracked down to a building outside Paris and were shot dead on Friday.

Charlie Hebdo is known for causing controversy with satirical attacks on political and religious leaders and has published numerous cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad (先知穆罕默德).

World leaders condemned the attack.

(The Standard, 8 January 2015)