Shock at attack on Charlie Hebdo

THE WORLD has reacted with shock and horror after masked gunmen armed with Kalashnikovs and a rocket-launcher opened fire in the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo late this morning, killing 12 people, including two police officers.

Among the dead are the magazine’s editor and cartoonist, Stéphane Charbonnier, aka Charb, and his fellow cartoonists Cabu, Georges Wolinski and Bernard Verlhac, known as Tignous.

A fifth victim has been named in reports as economist and writer Bernard Maris.

Several more were injured in the attack, and four have been described as hovering “between life and death”.

Witnesses reported that the attackers shouted, “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad,” as they fled the magazine’s offices in the 11th arrondissement of the city.

Initial reports said that two gunmen were involved, but interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve later said police were looking for three “criminals” as part of a massive nationwide manhunt.

He said that authorities would coordinate services and broadcast “necessary information … so the French people will be continually informed about the progress of the inquiry”.

Speaking at the scene shortly after the shooting, President Francois Hollande said: “An act of exceptional barbarism has been committed here in Paris.”

He said that authorities had thwarted a series of planned attacks in recent weeks and urged France to stay “firm and strong”, adding: “We need to show we are a united country.

“We will fight these threats and we will punish the attackers.”

The terror alert was raised to its highest level in Ile-de-France.

The attack has sparked anger and outrage worldwide.

US President Barack Obama condemned the "horrific shooting", and offered to provide any assistance "to help bring these terrorists to justice".

British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a tweet: "The murders in Paris are sickening. We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press."

And German chancellor Angela Merkel described the atrocity as an "abominable act" that was "an attack on freedom of speech and the press".

Meanwhile, social media users are expressing solidarity with Charlie Hebdo’s journalists by using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie. Parisians are also using the slogan to organise a rally at 7pm in Place de la République.

Similar rallies are being planned in cities across France.

Mr Hollande is due to deliver a televised address to the nation at 8pm.