– ‘We have avenged the prophet’ –
Charlie Hebdo gained notoriety in February 2006 when it reprinted cartoons of the Prophet that had originally appeared in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten.
Its offices were fire-bombed in November 2011 when it published a cartoon of Mohammed under the title “Sharia Hebdo”.
Even being dragged to court under anti-racism laws did not stop the publication, which in September 2012 again drew the Prophet, this time naked.
The killers on Wednesday shouted “we have avenged the prophet, we have killed Charlie Hebdo”, according to prosecutors.
The attack took place on the day the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo was published.
It featured a cartoon of an armed militant noting “Still no attacks in France. Wait! We have until the end of January to send greetings”. That was a reference to France’s tradition of wishing someone a Happy New Year before January 31.
Editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier, known as Charb and who had lived under police protection after receiving death threats, was among those killed. READ: Eleven shot dead at French satirical weekly.
Other victims included Jean Cabut, known across France as Cabu, Georges Wolinski and Bernard Verlhac, better known as Tignous.
British Prime Minister David Cameron called the attack “sickening” while Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as the Arab League were also among those condemning the violence.
Iran condemned the killings but reiterated its criticism of the weekly’s 2006 publication of cartoons of Mohammed.
