Vatican condemns ‘abominable’ shooting

The Vatican condemned as “abominable” the shooting that killed at least 12 people in the Paris offices of the weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

“It is a double act of violence, abominable because it is both an attack against people as well as against freedom of the press,” said Vatican deputy spokesman Fr Ciro Benedettini.

Elsewhere, Ian Hislop, editor of British satirical magazine Private Eye, said the victims of the Charlie Hebdo shooting “paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty”.

At least 12 people died in the attack, believed to include editorial staff members Jean Cabu, Stephane ‘Charb’ Charbonnier, Bernard ‘Tignous’ Verlhac, and Bernard Maris.

Hislop said: “I am appalled and shocked by this horrific attack — a murderous attack on free speech in the heart of Europe.

“I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those killed — the cartoonists, journalists, and those who were trying to protect them.

“They paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty.”

He added: “Very little seems funny today.”

Meanwhile, FBI director James Comey said the US agency will work with French law enforcement to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.

Comey spoke at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York following the attacks by gunmen in Paris.