Firebombers attack satirical magazine

TWO firebombers are being hunted for an attack on the offices of the satirical journal Charlie Hebdo ahead of the publication today of a special issue which the magazine said was intended to “celebrate” an Islamist party’s election win in Tunisia.

The magazine had revealed that it was publishing "Charia Hebdo" and named the Prophet Muhammad "editor-in-chief" for the issue.

Police are hunting two men who were seen near the offices in Boulevard Davout in Paris’ 20th arrondissement around the time a molotov cocktail was thrown through a first-floor window early this morning.

The magazine's website was also hacked with a picture of Mecca and messages in Turkish and English. This morning it showed only a blank screen with the words "it works!"

No one was hurt in the attack which caused extensive damage.

Editorial director Stéphane Charbonnier, known as Charb, said: "All the equipment that we use to produce the paper has been destroyed or has melted. As of today, we cannot produce a newspaper; but we will do everything possible to make it next week. Whatever happens, it will come out."

He said that they had received threats on Twitter and Facebook since the announcement of the new issue and these were being passed on to police.

Screengrab from BFMTV