4 Men Charged In Relation To Paris Terror Attacks

The men are suspected of giving logistical support to kosher grocery attacker Amedy Coulibaly. They are the first to be charged in relation to this month's attacks.

What We Know So Far:

  • Four men were charged in relation to the Paris terror attacks on Wednesday, suspected of providing logistical support to kosher grocery gunman Amedy Coulibaly.
  • Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — a branch in Yemen — have claimed responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo massacre.
  • The survivors' issue of the newspaper — depicting the Prophet Muhammad holding a sign saying "Je Suis Charlie" — went on sale Jan. 14.
  • The original 3-million-copy run was extended to 5 million to meet demand. The distributor told BuzzFeed News that copies would remain on sale until March.
  • Authorities are still searching for Hayat Boumedienne, the alleged accomplice and widow of Amedy Coulibaly, one of the attackers. She reportedly crossed into Syria shortly after the attacks.
  • Between Jan. 7 and 9, 17 people and three gunmen died during a series of attacks on the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris and a kosher deli and a print shop outside the city.

Updates

Posted at

Paris' prosecutor has said that four men linked to kosher grocery attacker Amedy Coulibaly have been charged in connection to this month's terror attacks, AP reported.

On Wednesday, prosecutor Francois Molins said that the men had been handed preliminary charges of association with terrorism.

They are the first to be charged in relation to the attacks, and are suspected of providing logistical support to Coulibaly, who shot a policewoman dead in the street before killing four hostages in the grocery siege.

Molins said all but one of those charged had criminal records, and at least one had met Coulibaly in jail.

He added that French authorities were liaising with other countries in the search for other accomplices, and said that investigators were working to find out who was responsible for Coulibaly's posthumous video, edited and released days after his death.

Posted at

One of the brothers behind the Charlie Hebdo massacre has been secretly buried in an unmarked grave in Reims, France.

Said Kouachi had lived in Reims before the terrorist attack. The city's mayor had been opposed to the move, fearing the grave would become a shrine for extremists, but said he had been legally forced to allow the burial, the BBC reported.

"Given the risk of disturbance of the peace and in order to quickly turn the page of this tragic episode, it was decided to do the burial quickly," Reims city officials said in a statement.

His widow did not attend the funeral, fearing journalists would follow her and discover the location of the grave, the BBC reported.

His brother, Cherif, is expected to be buried in Gennevilliers, outside Paris.

The brothers were killed by police on Jan. 9, two days after the attack on the satirical newspaper that killed 12 people.

No plans have been revealed for the burial of Amedy Coulibaly, the man suspected of killing a policewoman and four hostages inside a kosher supermarket.

Posted at

Two Frenchmen have been detained in Yemen on suspicion of having ties to al-Qaeda, police told Agence France-Presse.

"During the past two days, two French nationals accused of belonging to al-Qaeda have been arrested," National Security Service Chief General Mohammed al-Ahmadi told AFP.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has a stronghold in Yemen, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper.

Attackers Said and Cherif Kouachi were also said to have received training with the terrorist organization in Yemen.

Posted at

Anti-Charlie Hebdo protests turned violent Friday in Muslim nations, leaving at least four people dead.

In Niger, four people were killed and dozens more injured Friday when angry demonstrators torched a French cultural center and Christian churches over the latest Charlie Hebdo issue's depiction of the Prophet Muhammad, the country's interior minister said.

The protests took place in the West African country's second largest city of Zinder, where armed crowds burned French flags, attacked Christian shops, and ransacked the homes of police officers, Reuters reported.

"The protesters are crying out in local Hausa language: 'Charlie is Satan — let hell engulf those supporting Charlie,'" Aboubacar Mamane, a shopkeeper, told the news agency.

One police officer and three protesters were killed in the clashes, and at least 40 others were injured, the AP reported.

"Zinder experienced a quasi-insurrectional situation, a spontaneous protest of a criminal nature," Interior Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou said. "I would like to reassure Christians that the state is here to defend those living in Niger at all costs."

In Pakistan, a photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP) was shot and seriously injured while covering an anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration Friday as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the French consulate in Karachi.

The crowd of students, some of whom were armed, shouted and opened fire on police, an officer told the AP. Police fired shots in the air and used water cannons and tear gas in return. Three people, including two journalists, were injured in the melee.

At a protest in Islamabad, demonstrators carried signs that read "Shame on Charlie Hebdo," and "If you are Charlie, then I am Kouachi," referring to the brothers who killed 12 people in the attack on the Paris publication.

In Algeria, thousands of protesters marched in the streets carrying banners that read, "I am not Charlie, I am Muhammad," chanted slogans from a banned Islamist party, and set fire to a state airline office.

Several officers were injured as protesters hurled objects at police, who responded with tear gas.

Thousands protested against the satirical cartoons in the Jordanian capital Amman Friday in demonstrations organized by the Muslim Brotherhood. Clashes broke out between the crowds and police as protesters tried to march toward the French embassy, the AP reported.

The nation's royal family said Charlie Hebdo's latest depiction of Muhammad was "irresponsible and far from the essence of freedom of expression."

Posted at

Amid violent protests, Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution condemning may cartoons in Charlie Hebdo.

According to Sojho Khabar:

Pakistan parliament on Thursday adopted a unanimous resolution against blasphemous caricatures published by French sarcastic magazine Charlie Hebdo, saying it is a deliberate attempt to "widen misunderstandings among civilizations" and incite violence.

The resolution tabled in the National Assembly or the lower house said: "These cartoons are a conspiracy to widen misunderstanding among civilizations."

It also said ridiculing of religion is "condemnable" and termed it against the freedom of speech.

Posted at

Here's the AFP photographer injured in Charlie Hebdo protests in Pakistan:

Le collègue #AFP et ami Asif Hassan, blessé par balle dans des manifs anti #CharlieHebdo à Karachi, se porte mieux.

Posted at

After speaking in Paris, Kerry watched James Taylor sing "You've Got a Friend":

SecKerry watches old friend James Taylor sing "You've Got a Friend." Taylor wove in a few bars of La Marseillaise

Posted at

Live: John Kerry is speaking in Paris.

Posted at

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has visited the sites of last week's Paris terror attacks to pay tribute to the victims.

He laid flowers outside the offices of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper, and was accompanied by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

He also laid a wreath in memory of the victims of the hostage-taking at the hands of a gunman at the Hyper Cacher kosher grocery store.

Posted at

People protesting the Charlie Hebdo cover in Karachi, Pakistan clashed with police forces on Friday, and an AFP photographer was injured, according to several news outlets.

Reuters reported:

"AFP photographer Asif Hasan suffered wounds resulting from gunshots fired by ... protesters, police have not opened fire," Abdul Khalique Shaikh, a senior police officer in southern Karachi, told Reuters.

Some outlets reported that the protesters belonged to Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) and that police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, who were throwing stones.

A policeman and television cameraman were also injured, according to Geo TV News, which reports it was at the scene.

#BREAKING AFP photographer shot at Pakistan Charlie Hebdo protest, in serious condition

Posted at

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Paris to meet with senior members of the French government.

Early on Friday, Kerry met with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, before giving President Francois Hollande a hug as they met outside his Elysee presidential palace, Reuters reported.

Speaking in Bulgaria yesterday, Kerry had said Paris needed "a big hug."

Kerry told President Hollande:

"I think you know that you have the full and heartfelt condolences of the American people and I know you know that we share the pain and the horror of everything that you went through. Our hearts go out to you."

The Obama administration did not send a senior official to Sunday's unity march in Paris, and has since admitted that this was an oversight.

Posted at

At least ten people have been arrested across Paris overnight Thursday following a series of raids linked to gunmen with possible Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) ties, AP reported.

The Paris prosecutor's office said ten people with links to the gunman who held up a kosher supermarket last week were taken into custody.

An official cited by Reuters said that the number arrested overnight was 12.

The city's Gare de l'Est train station was also evacuated following a bomb alert early on Friday morning.

Alerte à la bombe à gare de l'Est. Tout le monde est évacué. #Garedelest #AlerteAttentat

An official cited by AP who did not wish to be named said the station was shut down as a "precaution".

Police in Berlin, Germany also conducted terror raids overnight, arresting a Turkish man thought to be the leader of an extremist group believed to be planning an attack in Syria, AFP reported.

Police said there was no indication the group was planning an attack in Germany.

A Western intelligence source has told CNN that the ongoing terror threat in Europe appears to involve 20 sleeper cells made up 120 to 180 people.

The official said the groups are ready to launch attacks in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and that Middle East and European Union intelligence agencies has identified "imminent threats" to Belgium and possibly the Netherlands.

Yesterday, two people died in an anti-terror operation in Belgium.

Posted at

Hundreds gathered for Charlie Hebdo staff funerals in France.

Cartoonists Bernard "Tignous" Verlhac and Georges Wolinski as well as columnist Elsa Cayat were buried on Thursday.

Posted at

France's cybersdefense chief has said that 19,000 websites in the country have been hit by cyberattacks since the terror attacks on Paris last week, AP reported.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Adm. Arnaud Coustilliere said that many of the attacks had been carried out by "more or less structured" groups, including some well-known Islamist hacking collectives.

He said: "That's never been seen before. It's the first time that a country has been faced with such a large wave."

The attacks were mostly small denial-or-services attacks, Coustilliere said. They have affected sites ranging from pizza shops to military regiments.

Posted at

Pope Francis has spoken about Charlie Hebdo during his visit to the Philippines today, saying there is a limit to freedom of expression when it comes to faith.

He said: "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith."

More on the Pope's comments can be found here.

On Paris attacks, Pope Francis says freedom of expression should have limits, v/ @joshjmac & @balldeborah on plane

Posted at

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to arrive in Paris later Thursday.

The U.S. came under criticism for not sending a high-level official to Sunday's unity rally, which featured many world leaders.

Speaking in Bulgaria Thursday, Kerry said he wanted to give Paris a "big hug." The Straits Times said:

"My visit to France is basically to share a big hug for Paris and express our affection for France ... and the people in Paris who have gone through a terrible time," Kerry said in Bulgaria.

He said he may meet the Iranian foreign minister while there.

Posted at

President Barack Obama and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron released a joint editorial on Wednesday highlighting their goals to stand up to terrorism, from lone wolf attacks to those by groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS.

In the op-ed, published in the Times of London, the two leaders said:

There are more than one billion Muslims in the world, the vast majority of whom are sickened by the evil these terrorists claim to perpetrate in the name of Islam. The United States and Britain will continue to work closely with all those who believe in peace and tolerance. The terrorists know only how to destroy, but together we can do something infinitely more powerful: build security, strengthen justice and advance peace.

The editorial also discussed the leaders' focus on building strong economies and stance against Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Cameron was scheduled to meet with Obama this week to discuss more cooperation between U.S. internet companies and U.K. intelligence agencies.

Posted at

Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen gave Chérif Kouachi $20,000 for terrorist activities when he traveled to the country three years ago, U.S. counterterrorism officials told media outlets on Wednesday.

Still, officials have no proof that the group in Yemen specifically directed the attacks in Paris, according to ABC News, CNN, and the New York Times. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the massacre by Kouachi and his brother at the headquarters of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, although questions remain about the reality of that claim.

Posted at

In the U.K., Sky News cut away from an interview with a Charlie Hebdo contributor after she held up its latest cover. Read out story here.

Posted at

The Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram has expressed support for last week’s terrorist assault on Charlie Hebdo, according to a video posted online. Read our story here.

Posted at

After his arrest on Wednesday, controversial French comic Dieudonné M'bala M'bala will face charges of defending terrorism in a Facebook post, prosecutors have told Le Monde and Agence France Presse.

Dieudonné's now-deleted Facebook post on Sunday mocked the unity march in Paris, and led to authorities investigating the comedian for justifying terrorism.

Dieudonné said attending the march felt like "a magic moment equal to the Big Bang that created the universe, or to a lesser (more local) extent to the coronation of Vercingetorix," adding he felt like "Charlie Coulibaly" (a reference to the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and terrorist Amedy Coulibaly).

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve described the post as "shameful," prompting Dieudonné to write another post attempting to defend himself.

Dieudonné became infamous for inventing the quenelle gesture, which resembles an inverted Nazi salute. He is openly anti-Zionist and has been accused of anti-semitism.

Posted at
Posted at

Muslims in the Philippines protested Wednesday against the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo.

Demonstrators gathered in Marawi, on the island of Mindanao, to protest against what they said was a "double standard" in the Western media against Muslims.

Posted at

Amedy Coulibaly's run-ins with the law began at a young age, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal recounting his criminal history.

When Coulibaly was 18 years old, police fatally shot his friend while attempting to leave the scene of a robbery. Coulibaly's criminal record includes assaulting a police officer, shoplifting, drug dealing, armed robbery, and the sale of stolen goods, the newspaper reported.

Coulibaly was sentenced to six years in prison for robbing a bank. It was there he met an al-Qaeda recruiter.

In 2010 French authorities detained Coulibaly in connection with a plot to break out of prison a militant convicted of planting a bomb in the Paris subway. While in prison, Coulibaly wanted to visit his father, who was gravely ill, but his request was denied. Upon his release in 2014, he and his wife Hayat Boumeddiene visited Mali to see his father.

According to the report, Coulibaly was hiding rifles, ammunition, and tear gas grenades at his house on the southern edge of Paris.

A man, who had previously bought a car from Coulibaly's partner, was arrested in the Belgian city of Charleroi for arms trafficking, Belgian authorities confirmed to BuzzFeed News. Authorities said there is no established connection between his arms trafficking and the Paris attacks. Belgian authorities wouldn't confirm the claim that the weapons used by Coulibaly came from Belgium.

Posted at

In their own words, Parisians explained to BuzzFeed News why they purchased the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo.

Posted at

The Institute of the Arab World in Paris has erected a sign on its facade reading, "We are all Charlie."

Posted at

Claims of inflated prices and profiteering on eBay over the “survivors issue” of French newspaper Charlie Hebdo may not be what they initially seem, as BuzzFeed News' Francis Whittaker reports.

Posted at

France will send an aircraft carrier to the Middle East as part of its role in the international campaign against ISIS militants in Iraq, President François Hollande announced Wednesday.

The French Parliament voted yesterday to continue their role in the U.S.-led military campaign against ISIS militants.

The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier "will work in close cooperation with coalition forces," Hollande said in a speech aboard the vessel off France's southern coast, according to Reuters.

Amedy Coulibaly, the terrorist who killed a lone French policewoman and four hostages inside a Paris kosher supermarket, pledged his loyalty to ISIS in a video filmed before he carried out his attacks.

Posted at

The top Palestinian Muslim leader condemned the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday as an "insult" to Islam.

In a statement to Agence France-Presse, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Hussein criticized "publishing of cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the disregard for the feelings of Muslims."

"This insult has hurt the feelings of nearly 2 billion Muslims all over the world. The cartoons and other slander damage relations between the followers of the [Abrahamic] faiths," he said.

Mufti Hussein, who was appointed by the Palestinian Authority leadership to oversee Jerusalem's Muslim sites, also condemned "attacks against innocent people, and terrorism in all its forms.

"Islam renounces the practice of violence against innocents, whether they are Muslim or anything else," he said.

Posted at

A total of 60 anti-Muslim acts have been recorded in France since Jan. 7 and 26 mosques have been attacked with firebombs and pig heads, according to an Islamophobia watchdog group.

In one incident, a Le Mans mosque was attacked with four grenades and gunfire through its windows, The Independent reported.

According to France's National Observatory Against Islamophobia, several minor incidents, including racist graffiti, threats, and intimidation, have gone unreported. Muslim-owned businesses have also been targeted, the report said.

Armed security guards have been positioned outside some mosques, including the Grand Mosque of Paris.

Posted at

A Turkish court will ban websites that display the Charlie Hebdo cover, CNN reported.

#Breaking: Turkish court decides to ban access to relevant sections of websites which have published cartoon on the cover of #CharlieHebdo

Posted at

Charlie Hebdo's distributor, Messageries Lyonnaises de Presse (MLP), told BuzzFeed News that the 700,000 copies sent out this morning were "most certainly" sold out, and 500,000 more copies will be distributed Thursday.

MLP also confirmed that this week's edition of Charlie Hebdo would be sold for 56 days, through March. The remainder of the 5 million-print run will be distributed during that time, MLP said.

The ultimate print run was expanded from 3 million to 5 million on Wednesday, some media outlets reported.

Posted at

France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls has been pictured clutching a copy of the new issue of Charlie Hebdo this morning, with his hand placed over the face on the controversial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad.

French PM has a strategically placed hand on the Charlie frontpage today http://t.co/WjyxRFTGni

Posted at

The leader of Al-Qaeda in Yemen has released a video message claiming responsibility for the attack on Charlie Hebdo's offices last week.

BREAKING: Yemen's top al-Qaida leader claims responsibility for attack on Paris paper in video message

Reuters reported that the video says the terrorists had "been assigned" to carry out last week's attacks "vengeance" for insulting the prophet.

In the video, the group's Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi said: "As for the blessed Battle of Paris, we, the Organisation of al-Qaeda al Jihad in the Arabian Peninsula, claim responsibility for this operation as vengeance for the Messenger of God."

Reuters reported:

He added without elaborating that the strike was carried out in "implementation" of the order of overall al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, who has called for strikes by Muslims in the West using any means they can find. Ansi also gave credit for the operation to slain AQAP propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki, a preacher cited by one of the gunmen in remarks to French media as a financer of the attack. It was not clear how Awlaki, killed by a U.S. drone in 2011, had a direct link to the Paris assault, but he inspired several militants in the United States and Britain to acts of violence.

Ansi didn't claim responsibility for the attack on the kosher supermarket that led to the death of four hostages.

CNN reported:

But "it was a blessing from Allah" that the two attacks took place about the same time, al-Ansi said.

Posted at

Iran has condemned the publication of an image of the Prophet Muhammad on the cover of the new issue of Charlie Hebdo, saying it is "insulting" and "provocative," AP reported.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Marzieh Afkham said the cover "provokes the emotions of Muslims and hurts their feelings around the world, and could fan the flame of a vicious circle of extremism."

Posted at

Several French news outlets are reporting that copies of the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo sold out within an hour.

New #CharlieHebdo issue sold out across France. Photo Bertrand Guay #AFP

The print run will now be extended to 5 million in order to meet demand.

Posted at

Controversial French comedian Dieudonné has been arrested following a Facebook post in which he referred to himself as "Charlie Coulibaly," a judicial source reportedly told AFP.

On his official Facebook page, Dieudonné — full name Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala — said a dozen police officers came to his home at 7 a.m. local time and arrested him in front of his children. He also posted pictures of the incident.

Dieudonné's now-deleted Facebook post on Sunday mocked the unity march in Paris, and led to authorities investigating the comedian for justifying terrorism.

Dieudonné said attending the march felt like "a magic moment equal to the Big Bang that created the universe, or to a lesser (more local) extent to the coronation of Vercingetorix," adding he felt like "Charlie Coulibaly" (a reference to Charlie Hebdo magazine and gunman and hostage-taker Amedy Coulibaly).

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve described the post as "shameful," prompting Dieudonné to write another post attempting to defend himself.

Dieudonné became infamous for inventing the quenelle gesture, which resembles an inverted Nazi salute. He is openly anti-Zionist and has been accused of anti-semitism.

Posted at

Early Wednesday morning in France, the newest issue of Charlie Hebdo hit newsstands and Parisians lined up early to get a copy.

C'est déjà la queue ce matin devant les kiosques pour acheter #CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie

Devant le point presse, la file d'attente s'allonge... #JeSuisCharlie

People (including me) already lined up 45 minutes before this newsstand opens to get the new #CharlieHebdo

There's like 40 people in line now.

In Paris some newsstands limited each person to buying one copy:

Newsstand limited purchases of new Charlie Hebdo to one per person. But I got mine:

A paper that reads: "No more Charlie Hebdo" is posted after all copies were sold out at a newsstand in Paris.

In Marseille, the second largest city in France, people were seen lined up at a kiosk to buy their copy:

A la gare de Marseille le seul kiosque qui n'a pas encore ouvert pour livrer ses #CharlieHebdo

Posted at

Copies of the new edition of Charlie Hebdo hit French newsstands early Wednesday morning.

–¿Dónde están las 70 Vírgenes? –¡Con el equipo de #CharlieHebdo, pringado! #JeSuisCharlie

The cartoon shows two terrorists arriving in heaven asking, "Where are the 70 virgins?" In the background slain Charlie Hebdo staffers are seen having an orgy, according to the BBC's Hugh Schofield.

Cartoons appearing to be from the new issue began to appear online showing a variety of cartoonists' reactions to the attacks.

Still Alive! @Charlie_Hebdo_ @Lesmatinsfcult #CharlieHebdo

The new issue's cover featuring the Prophet Muhammad holding a "Je suis Charlie" sign had already been published by a number of international outlets.

Dans le #CharlieHebdo aujourd'hui! ... Tout est dit !

Posted at

The front page of Wednesday's edition of the Libération newspaper has been released, marking the day the next issue of Charlie Hebdo hits the stands.

A la une de @libe daté de mercredi: "je suis en kiosque" #JeSuisCharlie

Emblazoned over multiple images of the scheduled Prophet Muhammad cover is the headline reading, "Je suis en kiosque," or "I am on the newspaper stands."

Surviving Charlie Hebdo staffers have been working out of the Libération newspaper offices to put together their next edition.

Posted at

A number of leading Muslim groups have warned of potential repercussions from the publication of an image of Prophet Muhammad on the cover of the next Charlie Hebdo edition.

Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa, an Islamic institute that issues religious edicts known as fatwas, warned the French satirical newspaper against publishing its next edition, describing it in a Facebook post as an "unjustified provocation to the feelings of 1.5 billion Muslims around the world."

Warning that the issue would "stir a new wave of hatred," the group said the Prophet Muhammad cover would be "a dangerous escalation in face [sic] of human values, liberations, cultural diversity, tolerance, and respect to human rights which are very vital to maintain societal peace."

"Furthermore, it deepens the sentiments of hatred and discrimination in the hearts of Muslims and ‪‎non-Muslims‬ alike," the group wrote.

Dar al-Iftaa called on the French government to reject the newspaper's "racist actions."

The group has also "vehemently condemned" the attack on Charlie Hebdo staff.

In France, a coalition of Muslim groups called for calm ahead of Wednesday's publication.

The Union of French Islamic Organizations issued a statement, carried by the French Council of the Muslim Faith, "calling on the Muslim community of France to keep their calm and avoid reacting emotionally or in a manner incompatible with their dignity and their reserve, out of respect for freedom of expression."

The group also expressed its concern over what it said was a high number of anti-Muslim acts in recent days, calling on the authorities to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of mosques.

Posted at

New video has emerged of the two men who carried out the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo. The Kouachi brothers can be seen gesturing and yelling as they enter their car, before shooting at a police vehicle.

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com
Posted at

France's parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of continuing airstrikes against ISIS militants in Iraq.

488 members of the National Assembly voted to extend France's participation in the international military campaign.

Only one member voted against the proposal, arguing more bombing could invoke more extremist violence, according to the Associated Press.

Posted at

BuzzFeed News Middle East correspondent Sheera Frenkel was on the scene in Israel for the funerals of the four French Jews killed in the attack on the Paris kosher supermarket. Read her report here.

Posted at

Read our full report on the emotional Charlie Hebdo news conference here.

Posted at

The British media has been deeply conflicted in how it has decided to cover the publication of the latest Charlie Hebdo cover.

Posted at

Around 150,000 people have signed an online petition to bestow Lassana Bathily, the Malian Muslim man who saved several hostages by sheltering them inside the kosher supermarket's basement cool room, with French citizenship and the Legion of Honor award.

Posted at

"The fight against terrorism requires vigilance every step of the way," Prime Minister Valls told the Parliament, outlining new steps the government intends to boost security and intelligence services.

"We must be able to know constantly who the terrorists are, where they live, what they are planning to do," Valls said.

"That's why I'm asking the interior minister to look into setting up a new file that would force people that have been convicted of terrorism and who belong to terrorist groups to declare their domiciles and submit themselves to some observations."

The prime minister received widespread applause for his passionate denunciations of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

Posted at

"Yes, France is at war against terrorism...France is not at war against a religion," Manuel Valls said. "France will protect...all if her citizens...with the same determination."

"France will give an answer on its own national soil."

Posted at

France's prime minister is addressing Parliament in the aftermath of the attacks:

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com
Posted at

On Tuesday morning, French President Francois Hollande led a Paris ceremony honoring the three police officers slain in terrorist attacks last week.

He posthumously decorated Franck Brinsolaro and Ahmed Merabet — who were killed in the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices on Wednesday — and Clarissa Jean-Philippe — who was shot dead on Thursday — with the Legion of Honor, France's highest distinction.

Hollande met with families of the officers, and said, "They died so we could live in freedom," France24 reported.

After the Paris ceremony, Merabet's coffin was taken to a Muslim ceremony in Bobigny, northeast of Paris, for his funeral.

Posted at

"Go to a newsstand, buy Charlie," Luz said.

"And buy another paper, treat yourself (but don't buy something shitty, all right?). But if we can keep the newsstands alive, if we can keep these papers alive, if we can make ideas live on, and if we can draw, everywhere in the world, then we will have really won," he added.

Translations of the press conference from BuzzFeed News reporters Marie Telling and Anais Bordages.

Posted at

Luz: "I am still Charlie. I am a cop. I am Jewish. I am Muslim. And I am also atheist."

"I drew, I cried, and we had this fucking front page," Luz said.

"I have no worries about the topic of the front page. Because I trust that people are smart," Luz said. "People who committed this attack were people who didn't have a sense of humor."

Posted at

Luz: "I had Muhammad with 'Je Suis Charlie' and he was crying [long pause] and I wrote 'all is forgiven' above. And I cried."

"Our Muhammad is way nicer," Briard said.

"I cried but I also laughed," Luz said.

Posted at

Luz: "Terrorists were kids one day. They drew, like us, like all kids. And at one point they must have lost their humor."

Posted at

"We thought for a long time that drawing to explain this complicated world like when we were kids would protect us from the stupidity in this world," Luz said.

"I honestly didn't know if I could still draw."

Luz drew this week's cover illustration.

Posted at

Charlie Hebdo Editor-in-Chief Gérard Briard and cartoonist Luz are speaking at the press conference.

They thanked former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor George Clooney for subscribing. "He can subscribe, this way all the women at the paper will have his address," they joked.

Posted at

Charlie Hebdo: The new edition is going to be translated in digital editions in Arabic, English, and Spanish — and two paper versions, one in Italian and one in Turkish.

The Turkish publication will be in conjunction with a paper there.

Charlie Hebdo's journalists were greeted with applause when the presser started

Posted at

Charlie Hebdo officials are holding a press conference. Listen (in French) here.

Posted at

CBS News is reporting the following on the Paris attackers:

JUST IN: Amedy Coulibaly was on US terror watch list, but NOT on the no-fly list. @CBSThisMorning #newsisback

JUST IN: Said Kouachi brought back $20,000 from AQAP in Yemen in 2011 to finance the #ParisShooting operation @CBSThisMorning #newsisback

Posted at

BuzzFeed News correspondent Sheera Frenkel reported from the Jerusalem funerals of the four people killed in the kosher supermarket in Paris:

At funeral in Jerusalem for 4 hostages killed in supermarket, many French Jews who flew in from Paris

Jerusalem Funeral of 4 French Jews killed last week in hostage crisis.

Friends of Yoav Hattab stood back a bit from the pushing crowds at the funeral. Heard a few humming the French national anthem after Hatikva

Posted at

Prosecutors in Bulgaria said a Frenchman who was arrested in the country on Jan. 1 while trying to cross into Turkey was in contact with the terrorists who carried out the attacks in Paris last week, AFP reported.

#BREAKING Frenchman arrested in Bulgaria suspected of links with Paris attackers: prosecutors

Public prosecutor Darina Slavova told AFP that 29-year-old Fritz-Joly Joachin — a French citizen of Haitian origin — "was in contact several times with one of the two brothers — Chérif Kouachi."

Posted at

Bodies of four Jewish victims arrive in Israel for burial.

The bodies of the four Jewish victims killed in a siege at a kosher supermarket in Paris on Jan. 9 have arrived in Israel for burial, the Associated Press reported.

The bodies arrived early Tuesday at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. The burial is to take place later in the day in Jerusalem.

On Monday, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Hyper Cacher market in eastern Paris and was greeted by a crowd of people, some waving or wrapped in Israeli flags.

Posted at

Here's how the world's newspapers reacted to Sunday's antiterror march in Paris.

Posted at

Libération, the newspaper where Charlie Hebdo staff have been working since the attack, have tweeted the cover of the next edition.

Mahomet en une du «Charlie Hebdo» de mercredi http://t.co/2JGWBH2Qpz

"All is forgiven," the banner reads, accompanied by a picture of the Prophet Muhammad holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign.

Posted at

The U.S. is ramping up security at home after last week’s massacre in France, according to a statement Monday from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

New measures include:

More random searches of passengers and carry-ons by the TSA. "I have directed the TSA to conduct an immediate, short-term review to determine whether more is necessary, at both domestic and overseas last-point of departure airports," Johnson said.

Increased Federal Protective Service security at U.S. government buildings in major cities: "The precise locations at which we are enhancing security is law-enforcement sensitive, will vary and shift from location to location, and will be continually re-evaluated," Johnson said.

More joint intelligence bulletins from DHS, the FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center provided to state and local law enforcement; continued partnerships with France and other allies; and community engagement in cities like Columbus, Chicago, and Minneapolis to counter violent extremism.

"We have no specific, credible intelligence of an attack of the kind in Paris last week being planned by terrorist organizations in this country," Johnson said in the release, but warned this should be a time of "heightened vigilance" for everyone.

Posted at

French authorities believe up to six terrorists may still be at large in the wake of the Paris attacks, police have told the Associated Press.

One of the terrorists who remains on the run has reportedly been spotted driving a car registered to Hayat Boumedienne, the partner of Amedy Coulibaly, who was killed after he murdered four hostages at a Paris kosher supermarket.

Turkish officials have said Boumedienne is now in Syria.

Posted at

Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, placed "Je Suis Charlie" placards on their desks during a debate Monday.

Posted at

Volunteers recited prayers over the coffins of the four men killed at the Paris kosher supermarket.

Posted at

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received a warm welcome at the site of the Paris kosher supermarket attack.

The visit by Netanyahu, who is facing an election in two months, came after reports that French President François Hollande had not wanted him to attend Sunday's unity rally.

Posted at

The Obama administration said Monday that it should have sent an official with a “higher profile” to the anti-terrorism rally in Paris on Sunday.

Earnest on Paris: “I think it's fair to say we should have sent someone with a higher profile."

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a press briefing that President Obama "would have liked" to attend the rally but the security requirements would have distracted from the event.

Posted at

French prosecutors on Monday launched an investigation into whether the controversial comic Dieudonné M'bala M'bala "defended terrorism" in a Facebook post.

In a post on Sunday evening, Dieudonné, as he is known in France, wrote that he "feels like Charlie Coulibaly," referencing Charlie Hebdo and terrorist Amedy Coulibaly, who killed four hostages in a kosher supermarket. The post was later deleted.

Dieudonné: "Je me sens Charlie Coulibaly". Plus d'humour & de liberté d’expression, c'est de l'apologie du terrorisme

The controversial comic has been accused of anti-Semitism in recent years and is known for his controversial quenelle gesture, which some say resembles a reverse Nazi salute.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he had directed officials to investigate the comments which he said "showed an irresponsibility, a disrespect, and a willingness of the individual to stir up hate and division," according to France TV.

A spokesperson for the Paris prosecutor's office, Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, told The Guardian the investigation for "defending terrorism" opened Monday.

In a statement responding to Cazeneuve on his Facebook page, Dieudonné wrote that he has been treated as "public enemy number one" for more than a year.

"I was only trying to laugh and to laugh at death, since death laughs at us, as Charlie sadly knows," he wrote.

Posted at

More than 50 anti-Muslim acts have been committed in France since the Jan. 7 attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, according to an Islamophobia watchdog group.

Such a high number of incidents in less than a week is unprecedented, according to Abdallah Zekri, president of the Observatory against Islamophobia, a group run by the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

Speaking to the Libération newspaper, Zekri cited official figures showing 21 acts of violence (including shots fired or grenades thrown), as well as 33 threats (letters, insults, etc.).

Zekri said he was "shocked" by the figures and called on the French government to reinforce security at mosques.

Posted at

Chérif and Said Kouachi got along with classmates and loved playing soccer, but lacked the intellect neccessary to resist Muslim fundamentalists, the brothers' former biology teacher Francoise Ronfet told The Times.

The brothers attended school in a village in France's Massif Central region, where they worked hard but were not academically gifted, Ronfet said.

It wasn't until the brothers moved to "big city" Paris that they got involved with jihadist recruiters, the teacher said.

"They were a bit weak really, and they ended up with these Muslim fundamentalists," she said. "They didn't have the intellect to resist."

Though Chérif Kouachi was known to authorities, France's former leader counter-terror judge told NBC News that he was more of a petty criminal than a terrorist.

"He was very, very against the Jews," Jean-Louis Bruguiere said. "That I remember."

Posted at

Contrasting images of world leaders at the rally in Paris on Sunday are being widely shared on social media.

The first is an agency photo showing the leaders marching down a street, the second, believed to be from French television, is being shared to show that they didn't "lead" the marchers, as some media outlets reported — though others pointed out they left during proceedings. In fact, the families and friends of the victims led the march, while the world leaders followed close behind, but in a group isolated from other demonstrators for security purposes.

Posted at

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a potential GOP presidential contender, criticized the Obama administration for not sending a high-level official to Sunday's Paris unity rally.

Spox for Ted Cruz tells BuzzFeed News lack of sr admin in Paris "striking…and disappointing.” Cruz op-ed on the subject going up this AM.

Posted at

It appears the next issue of Charlie Hebdo will carry images of the Prophet Muhammad.

The next issue will be printed in 16 languages.

Speaking to Le Figaro, Charlie Hebdo's lawyer Richard Malka said:

We won't concede anything. The state of mind of 'Je Suis Charlie', also signifies the right to blaspheme. It's complicated because we have to manage the future, the burials which will take place this week, but that's going ahead, it'll be wrapped up this evening. We don't want to release an obituary edition, as the editor-in-chief said. We don't want to be whiney.

The satirical newspaper's financial director, Eric Portheault, told Agence France-Presse that the special edition would be created "only by people from Charlie Hebdo." He said the editorial team rejected contributions from cartoonists in France and other countries.

The surviving Charlie Hebdo staff members have been working out of the offices of the Libération newspaper, as police continue to investigate the scene of the attack.

Posted at

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has dismissed criticism of the absence of high-level American officials from the unity rally attended by world leaders in Paris on Sunday as "sort of quibbling," CNN reported.

Speaking at a press conference during his visit to India, Kerry said: "The U.S. has been deeply engaged with the people of France since this incident occurred," adding that intelligence and law enforcement assistance had been offered.

He added: "This is sort of quibbling a little bit in the sense that our assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was there and marched, our ambassador was there and marched, many people from the embassy were there and marched.

"I've been here in India for a prior-planned event, would've personally very much wanted to have been there but couldn't do so because of the commitment that I had here."

Kerry said he planned to visit Paris on Thursday instead: "That is why I am going there on the way home, to make it crystal-clear how passionately we feel about the events that have taken place there."

Posted at

About 10,000 troops will guard the streets and sensitive sites in France, including the nation's 717 Jewish schools, the prime minister said.

The measure comes as the hunt for Hayat Boumedienne, the widow and accomplice of one of last week's attackers, crossed into Syria on Thursday.

"The threat is still present," Prime Minister Manuel Valls said. The troops will be in place by Tuesday.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said 4,700 members of security forces would be assigned to the Jewish schools.

Reporting by Anaïs Bordages, Rosie Gray, Marie Telling, David Mack, Tom Namako, Alan White, Francis Whittaker and Jon Passantino.

This is a developing story. Please check back here or at BuzzFeed News on Twitter for updates.

Skip to footer