The news about what happened in France today broke while I was asleep, and when I woke up I learned that most of the top editorial staff at Charlie Hebdo — including the editor-in-chief, Charb — had been wiped out in a jihad attack on their offices in Paris.
Twelve people were killed, including two police officers. Among the dead at Charlie Hebdo were deputy chief editor Bernard Maris, cartoonists Georges Wolinski and Jean Cabut, a.k.a. Cabu, Stephane Charbonnier, who is also editor-in-chief, and Bernard Verlhac, a.k.a. Tignous. A contributor, Bernard Maris, was reportedly another one of the victims.
Long-time readers will remember that Charlie Hebdo and Charb have been featured here in the past. Back in 2007, the magazine’s then-editor Philippe Val was prosecuted (unsuccessfully) for republishing the Mohammed Cartoons. Despite its progressive stance on most other topics, Charlie Hebdo continued with its “Islamophobia”, and its offices were firebombed and destroyed in 2011.
The Daily Mail has the best reportage I’ve seen so far, with a lot of photos and background information. Here’s the Mail’s introduction (hat tip Gaia):
Twelve people were killed today when gunmen carried out a massacre at the offices of a notoriously anti-Islamist newspaper in Paris – including a police officer who was executed as he begged for mercy on the pavement.
Three masked attackers brandishing Kalashnikovs burst into the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, opening fire on staff after seeking out journalists by name.
Those executed included four of the most famous cartoonists in France — men who had regularly satirised Islam and the Prophet Mohammed — including the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Stephane Charbonnier.
Witnesses said the suspect Al Qaeda killers were heard to shout ‘the Prophet has been avenged’ and ‘Allahu akbar!’ — Arabic for ‘God is great’ — as they stalked the building.
Horrific footage also emerged showing an injured police officer slumped on the pavement outside the office as two of the gunmen approach.
In an apparent desperate plea for his life, the officer is seen slowly raising his hand towards one of the attackers, who responds by callously shooting him in the head at point-blank range.
Despite a shoot-out with armed officers, the ‘calm and highly disciplined’ men who reportedly spoke perfect French were able to escape in a hijacked car and remain on the loose.
A French contact sends this note:
This was entirely predictable. Our governments are fully responsible for this mess. We pay for the lies with
blood, once again. I hope this will be an eye-opener here.
This satirical newspaper is a kind of institution in France. Everyone knows it. This blow will devastate the left — Charlie Hebdo is mainly left-wing. Some of those killed were very famous writers and cartoonists.
The newspaper is actually destroyed, they killed the editing team entirely.
It was a very professional attack. No doubt about the fact those guys were trained, equipped like true jihadists.
Let Islam in and enjoy the consequences…
This CNN report exemplifies the MSM meme we can expect to develop over the next hours and days:
(CNN) Hooded, black-clad gunmen burst into the office of a provocative French satirical magazine Wednesday, killing four cartoonists and eight others before heading off onto the streets of Paris
The key word is “provocative”. By their insulting, Islamophobic behavior, the staff of Charlie Hebdo “provoked” some members of the Religion of Peace – who, mind you, had a history of mental problems – to respond with violent excess.
They can’t hide the “Allahu akhbar” very easily – too many witness reports, too many videos with clear audio — and they can’t make this well-organized commando attack into the work of “lone wolves”. So the only way to handle it is to use the same meme promoted by Hillary Clinton concerning “The Innocence of Muslims” — Charlie Hebdo’s actions were a provocation.
A related theme is the magazine’s “history of controversy”. The Irish Times is one of many news outlets that have used that phrase or similar ones since the news from Paris broke.
So the fixed narrative is beginning to settle into place: Charlie Hebdo was “provocative” in its insults against the prophet, and had “a history of controversy”. The “Allahu akhbars” will soon be scrubbed from the media reports, and when (if) the perps are caught, they will no doubt turn out to have a history of mental illness. It will be a stretch to turn those well-trained Kalashnikov commandos into “lone wolves”, but you can bet the attempt will be made.
And it’s an absolute certainty that this tragic incident had nothing to do with Islam.
Vlad Tepes has made this useful video, in which David Cameron’s Dhimmispeak about the attack is subtitled in English:
Here is a video showing the point-blank execution of the policeman (hat tip Steen). WARNING: Very disturbing!
A video taken from the rooftop in which “Allahu akhbar!” can be clearly heard:
Finally, the Turkish take on this morning’s events (hat tip Fjordman):
Turkish Ministers Notes ‘Islamophobia’ While Condemning Paris Newspaper Attack
Two Turkish government ministers have condemned the deadly shooting attack on a French satirical newspaper, while also calling on Europe to tackle the rise of Islamophobia.
“Whatever is its reason or target, we are against all kinds of terror,” Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told journalists Jan. 7, hours after hooded gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo in the worst militant attack on French soil in recent decades.
Çavuşoğlu added terrorism is the first of two elements that Europe must fight. The second problem, he said, “is racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia, which is on the rise in many regions of Europe.”
The Turkish FM asserted that terrorism and Islamophobia “affect and trigger each other.”
Source: Gates of Vienna