Economist reportedly among the deadpublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Many sources are now reporting that French economist and writer Bernard Maris is among the dead following today's shooting.
Summary
Gunmen have attacked the offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 people including the editor and celebrated cartoonists
The hunt is on for three suspects, named by police as Hamyd Mourad and brothers Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi.
It is the deadliest terror attack in France since 1961 during the Algerian war
President Hollande said it was an act of "extreme barbarity", with many foreign leaders also condemning the attack
In 2011, the satirical publication was firebombed after naming the Prophet Muhammad as its "editor-in-chief"
Economist reportedly among the deadpublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Charlie Hebdo website back onlinepublished at 16:08 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
The Charlie Hebdo website, external is back online after reportedly being down following the attack in Paris.
It now shows the single image "Je Suis Charlie" ("I Am Charlie"), which has been trending worldwide on social media.
Image source, charlie hebdoGet involvedpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
@MFKerr tweets, external: Someone is trying to prove that the sword is mightier than the pen. It will be if we don't all fight back. #CharlieHebdo
John Kerry speaking:published at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
More John Kerry reaction: "Free expression and a free press are core values. They are universal principles that can be attacked, but never eradicated.
"Today's murders are part of a large confrontation...between civilisation itself, and those opposed to the civilised world."
Police say manhunt underway; shootout ensued between police and gunmenpublished at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
A police spokesman, Emmanuel Quemener, has been giving more details about the investigation:
"We have descriptions; our colleagues at the judicial police are in contact with the people who were present at the time of the event. These people will be interrogated, it involves a group of three hooded suspects with heavy weapons who fled the scene before they could be arrested."
"Unfortunately they came across colleagues in police cars, on whom they opened fire. There were colleagues who retaliated. They [the suspects] succeeded in spite of everything to escape, currently they are actively trying to find them."
John Kerry speaking:published at 16:01 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
US Secretary of State John Kerry is speaking about the attacks.
He said: "We stand with you in solidarity and in commitment both to the cause of confronting extremism and in the cause which the extremists fear so much and which has always united our two countries: freedom."
Eyewitness says she let gunmen into building after receiving threatspublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
French newspaper L'Humanite, external has spoken to designer Corinne Rey who says she was at the building at the time of the attack.
She describes how two gunmen threatened her in order to gain access to the building by forcing her to type in the entrance code.
Floral tributepublished at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Today's attack has drawn sympathy from across the globe. In Berlin a floral tribute has been left outside the French Embassy.
Image source, EPAPeter Tatchell, civil liberties campaignerpublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
tweets:, external In response to the #CharlieHebdo massacre we must not suppress liberties in the name of defending them - that's what the terrorists want
Postpublished at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Image source, Robert Mankoff, New YorkerThis cartoon of an empty box taken from the New Yorker has been tweeted thousands of times
Frederic Gerschel, Le Parisienpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
tweets:, external A minute of silence at @le_Parisien, external in solidarity with the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack
Image source, TwitterThe Arab League and Al-Azhar University condemn attackpublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
The Arab League and Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's most prestigious centre of learning in Egypt, both issued statements:
"Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris."
Al-Azhar condemned the "criminal attack," saying that "Islam denounces any violence".
Postpublished at 15:25 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
French journalist Soren Seelow tweets, external: Spontaneous rally at Republic Square after the attack on Charlie Hebdo
Image source, TwitterProfile: Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, editor of Charlie Hebdopublished at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
The BBC has profiled the Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier, who was killed in the attack in Paris.
Postpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Footballer Vincent Kompany, the Manchester City and Belgium captain, is among those using the #JeSuisCharlie hashtag to express solidarity, external with the victims of today's shooting.
Postpublished at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
An attack similar to the one in Paris could happen in the UK, according to Mohammed Shafiq from the Ramadhan Foundation, which works with young British Muslims. He said "the thing that keeps me up at night is the fact that we have these lone wolves".
Charlie Hebdo's most recent tweetpublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
The most recent tweet, external from Charlie Hebdo's official account was an image of a cartoon depicting the leader of Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, with the words, "Best wishes, by the way. To you too, al-Baghdadi," while he says, "especially to your health."
It is not known at this stage if the tweet has any connection to the attack which was reported to have started around the same time.
BBC Trending is looking in detail at social media amid the attack.
Image source, TwitterPostpublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Trade unionists at Syndicat National des Journalistes want newsrooms to observe a moment of silence. They said of the attack: "When journalists are killed, it is done to make an entire profession feel fear; it is done to silence".
Postpublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned "this cynical crime" and offered his condolences to the victims and their families.
Postpublished at 14:46 Greenwich Mean Time 7 January 2015
French far right leader Marine Le Pen has said she will release a statement on today's shootings at 4.30pm French time.