• Charlie Hebdo shooting suspects are killed as police raid building
  • Hostage taker at the kosher supermarket is also killed
  • Four hostages at Jewish supermarket in Vincennes were killed, Francois Hollande confirms
  • Hayat Boumeddiene, suspect linked to the killing of policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe, still at large
  • French police say two hostages being held at jewellers in the southern city of Montpellier have no links to Paris attacks
Paris Suspects
Pictures released by French Police in Paris show Cherif Kouachi, 32, (L) and his brother Said Kouachi, 34, (R), suspects in the attack on the offices of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo Getty

23: 15 The gunman killed by police after a siege at a kosher supermarket in Paris claimed he "co-ordinated" with the Charlie Hebdo killers and was a member of the Islamic State group.

In a recorded call from the supermarket Amedy Coulibaly told France's BFMTV station that he had worked with the Kouachi brothers, who he described as his "officers". "They (dealt with) Charlie Hebdo, I (dealt with) the police," he reportedly said.

He said he targeted the kosher supermarket because he wanted to defend Palestinians and target Jews. He also acknowledged he had killed the four of the hostages.

23:09 The cartoonist behind the legendary French comic strip Asterix has come out of retirement to pay tribute to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Albert Uderzo released two new drawings in solidarity with the cartoonists killed on Wednesday, which he shared on the official Asterix Twitter account.

One shows Asterix declare: 'Moi aussi je suis un Charlie' - which translates to 'I too am a Charlie'.

Paris terror attacks
Albert Uderzo, the cartoonist behind the legendary French comic strip Asterix has come out of retirement to pay tribute to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack. Asterix

23:06 French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says heavy death toll in attacks in Paris shows a "clear failing" in security and intelligence

23:05 The Foreign Office has stepped up its warning to UK travellers, cautioning anyone bound for Paris to 'Be especially vigilant.' The Foreign Office's Union flag was at half mast today in honour of the victims of the Paris attacks

23:02 MI5 chief has revealed that four major UK terror plots were foiled as a result of intelligence in the past year

23:01 Charlie Hebdo reporter, Sigolene Vinson told press that the two masked gunmen who killed her colleagues spared her life 'because she was a woman' and ordered her to convert to Islam

22:59 Graphic designer Lilian Lepere, 27, revealed he hid in a cardboard box at a print works in Dammartin-en-Goele, texting the police vital information as the Charlie Hebdo gunmen held a father-of-two hostage for eight hours

22:57 Police have brought to an end two hostage stand-off's, 53 hours after the first attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo. Three terrorists have been killed including brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi and Amedy Coulibaly. One suspect Hayat Boumeddiene is still at large

21:42 Thousands of people are expected to attend Sunday's Republican rally in the aftermath of France's deadliest terrorists attacks in decades. British PM David Cameron is expected to walk shoulder to shoulder with President Hollande

21:41 The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, defence minsterJean-Yves Le Drian and justice minister Christiane Taubira are to meet tomorrow to discuss anti-terror measures to be implemented in response to the Paris attacks

21:39 Islamic leaders around the world are united in condemning the shootings in Paris, describing it as an "attack against humanity"

21:24 The city of Paris pays tribute to the 12 victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack, with the words 'Paris est Charlie' projected on the Arc De Triomphe

Paris terror attacks
AFP / Getty Images

21: 22 Paris St. Germain's dressing room tribute to the Paris shooting victims this week

Paris Massacre
Paris St. Germain

21:19 Vigils are being held across Paris in honour of the victims of the terror attacks, during three days of mourning.

Paris terror attacks
Tributes are laid at the Place De la Republique Twitter

20:02 Hayat Boumeddiene, 26, one of the suspects in the fatal shooting of a female police officer on Thursday in the Paris suburb of Montrouge, is still at large. She was identified as the girlfriend of Amedy Coulibaly, 32, the hostage taker at a kosher supermarket in Paris

19: 39 ITV News have reported that Amedy Coulibaly, the gunman in the supermarket siege, was in talks with the police on the telephone, demanding that his associates the Kouachi brothers were allowed to go free in Dammartin. He reportedly left the phone off the hook, allowing police to overhear his conversation and storm the building to free the hostages

19: 35 According to reports on social media, 30 shoppers who had been buying kosher food for the Sabbath at a Paris grocery store, hid in a freezer storage room to escape gunfire during the siege

19: 23 Speaking at the Pellisippi State Community College in Tennessee, the President concluded his statement saying "we're hopeful the immediate threat is now resolved."

19:22 "We stand for freedom, hope, and the dignity of all human beings and that's what the city of Paris represents to the world," Obama added.

19:21 President Obama has commented on the terrorist attacks in Paris. He said: "In the streets of Paris, the world has seen once again what terrorists stand for. They have nothing to offer but hatred and human suffering."

Paris Supermarket Siege
Twitter

19:16 15 people, who were held hostage in a kosher grocery store in eastern Paris, have been released after the suspect was killed in a stand-off with police

19:15 Hollande has urged the public to remain vigilant after dual shootings in the capital. "Unity is our best weapon," he said. "Those who committed these acts have nothing to do with the Muslim religion."

18:57 Hollande goes on to describe the incident at the Vincennes supermarket as an "anti Semitic" attack

18:51 France president Francois Hollande confirms in live address to nation that four hostages were killed at the Vincennes kosher supermarket

18:35 French police say it is unclear if the hostages being held in the southern city of Montpellier have links to the Paris attacks

18:25 French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve speaks at press conference and thanks security forces for being "professional and courageous."
He says France "is relieved" but remains on high alert.

18:15 AFP reports:

17:45 David Cameron announces he will join the Unity Rally in Paris on Sunday (11 January)

17:40 Unconfirmed reports say there is a potential hostage situation in a jewellery store in Montpellier. However, some argue it is a robbery and not a terror attack.

17:35 French media reports that the Kouachi brothers were not aware a hostage was in the building.

17:16 AFP reports:

French ambassador to the US Gérard Araud congratulates with police forces.

17:13 At least two police officers were injured during operation at kosher supermarket

17:05 France's President Francois Hollande to address the nation via television before 19:00 (GMT)

16:57 At least four people held hostage at Jewish supermarket are dead, police say.

16:44 AFP publishes some pictures showing hostages being freed at the Jewish supermarket.

16:35 Reuters reports that hostage taker at the Kosher supermarket has also been killed.

16:25 The hostage taken by Charlie Hebdo suspects in Dammartin-en-Goële has reportedly been freed.

There are unconfirmed reports that at least two security officers have been injured in the operation.

16:23 AP reports:

Explosions and gunshots were heard as police forces stormed a kosher grocery in Paris where a gunman was holding at least five people hostage.

A woman was seen leaving the building.

The assault came moments after a similar raid on the building where two brothers suspected in the Charlie Hebdo newspaper massacre were cornered.

The gunman at the market had threatened to kill those inside if the brothers were harmed.

16:21 Reports suggesting several hostages at the Vincennes kosher bakery have been freed by police during the assault.

16:19 AFP reports that Charlie Hebdo massacre suspects have been killed:

16.15 Explosions heard at the Kocher supermarket near Paris.

16:10 AP reports:

Explosions and gunshots rang out and smoke rose outside a building where two brothers suspected in a newspaper massacre are holed up with a hostage.

Security forces had surrounded the building for most of the day Friday, cornering the suspects in the killings at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris this week.

Police SWAT forces could be seen on the roof of the building

16:07 Special forces are stroming the building where Charlie Hebdo suspects are holed up in Dammartin-en-Goële.

AFP tweets:

16:02 Television footage shows smoke billowing from the building where the Kouachi brothers are holding one person hostage.

16:00 Explosions and gunfire reported in Dammartin-en-Goële.

15:54 Clarence House has tweeted a picture of Prince Harry signing a book of condolence at the French Embassy in London.

15:43 It is being widely reported that Amedi Coulibaly met ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy five years ago.

15:31 According to Paris police, the gunman in the kosher grocery has threatened to kill the hostages he has if police storm the Charlie Hebdo suspects in the town Dammartin.

15:14 Journalists in France are sharing on Twitter an article from 2009 indicating that Coulibaly met the then-president Nicolas Sarkzoy:

15:03 AP tweets:

14:46 Far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen is being criticised for exploiting the current security crisis for political gain, after he published this photo of National Front chief (his daughter) Marine Le Pen on twitter:

Charlie Hebdo Paris Shooting Marine Le Pen
Front Nationale

14:42 Police order all shops closed in famed Jewish neighbourhood in central Paris far from attacks, AP reports.

14:32 France's interior ministry says alert that triggered evacuation at Trocadéro was a false alarm, Le Monde reports.

14:25 An eyewitness who was at the Vincennes bakery when the gunman stormed it told Europe 1:

"People were shopping. A man entered with a rifle and started shooting everywhere. Two seconds after I fled to safety,"

The witness said he saw a single attacker but people who were waiting for him in a car outside the bakery said they saw more gunmen entering the premises.

14:13 Le Monde reports that Place du Trocadéro near the Eiffel Tower in Paris is being evacuated by police.

14:10 In 2013, Montrouge shooting suspect Amedy Coulibaly was condemned to five years in prison for the Belkacem escape plot - but got out of jail just two months ago.

Read more here: Paris Jewish supermarket siege: Muslim 'Bonnie and Clyde' Hayat Boumeddiene and Amedy Coulibaly wanted by police.

14:09 President Hollande has called another emergency security meeting with Prime Minister Valls and Interior Minister Cazeneuve at the Élysée palace at 1515 local time (1415 GMT).

14:05 French police urge the public to stay away from the security perimeter around the Vincennes bakery.

"Do not cross the security perimeter to take photos or videos, you take a risk and disrupt police work," the national police tweet.

14:00 Read more on two suspects wanted in connection with the killing of policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe in Montrouge and the ongoing hostage siege at the kosher supermarket in here:

Paris Jewish supermarket siege: Muslim 'Bonnie and Clyde' Hayat Boumeddiene and Amedy Coulibaly wanted by police.

Police described the pair as "armed and dangerous".

13:53 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has condemned the attacks in France.

13:51 Benjamin Ramm tweets:

13:49 Traffic has been blocked in the area surrounding the Hyper Cacher backery in Vincennes.

13:44 The Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) has urged French Jews to "stay safe and avoid taking risks" in the wake of the shooting and hostage situation at a kosher bakery in Vincennes.

"Our prayers and thoughts are with the hostages at the Hyper Cacher in Vincennes and in Dammartin," CRIF tweets.

13:37 Attacks against Muslim religious sites have been reported in several cities and towns across France today, including Albi, Liévain, Corte, Rennes and Bischwiller.

13:30 French police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information regarding two suspects in relation with yesterday's killing of a policewoman in Montrouge, southern Paris.

The suspects, a woman and a man, have been named as Amedy Coulibaly and Hayat Boumeddiene.

13:22 At least two dead in shootout in eastern Paris according to AFP

13:12 The gunman is believed to have two kalashnikovs and a bullet-proof vest. He reportedly told police: "You know who I am and I'm going to keep these hostages until the siege in Dammartin is lifted".

The shootout lasted for 20 seconds, according to a witness.

13:10 Instagram users are posting pictures of the siege at the Jewish deli in Porte de Vincennes:

Voilà voilà #vincennes #otages #2015

Une photo publiée par Marc (@m4rcrp) le

AFP journalist Patricio Arana has posted another picture of the standoff:

13:05 The metro stations of Porte de Vincennes and Saint Mande have been closed to the public

12:51 The supermarket is called Hyper Cacher:

Hyper Cacher grocery
Hyper Cacher Jewish grocery in Porte de Vincennes, east Paris Google Maps

The gunman, who is thought to be the same man that killed policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe yesterday, reportedly told police officers at the scene: "You know who I am".

There are also reports that five women and children have been taken hostage.

12:40 BFM TV reporting gunman at Jewish supermarket in Porte de Vincennes may have more than one hostage inside

12:28 An armed man has taken a hostage in a kosher bakery in Porte de Vincennes, eastern Paris, after a shootout that left one wounded.

opération de police en cours Porte de Vincennes pic.twitter.com/HCCUTPBpi5

— Corbiere Alexis (@alexiscorbiere) January 9, 2015

The gunman is believed to be the same man who killed policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe yesterday in Montrouge.

12:17 Schools in proximity to the hostage situation have been evacuated, according to media reports.

12:11 Check out our rolling gallery of photos from the siege in Dammartin here.

Charlie Hebdo Dammartin
French Special Police Forces get out of a helicopter in a field next to an industrial estate where suspects linked to the Charlie Hebdo massacre are believed to holding at least one hostage Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

12:02 The hostage being held by the two suspects is reportedly a 26-year-old male, according to French channel 'France 2'.

11:58 Military helicopters have been seen dropping special forces near the building holding the two suspects.

11:53 Helicopters and vehicles are seen close to the building where a hostage is being held by the two suspects.

11:36 Sky News' coverage took a turn on live TV when their anchor asked a reporter for the latest update on the situation. As he went to answer, a radio station began playing with LMFAO's "I'm in Miami Bitch" booming to millions of viewers. Check the video below.

11:22 AFP is reporting that French police believe the killing of a policewoman is linked to the two suspects.

11:05 More photos emerging from Dammartin-en-Goele where hostage situation is continuing.

10:56 Reporter on the ground Kim Willsher has spoken to a local teacher in the town of Dammartin-en-Goele who spoke of how she is calming children in light of the siege.

10:49 The Local France is reporting that the two suspects were posing as police when speaking to a salesman and allegedly said: "Get out of here, we don't kill civilians."

10:20 French president Francois Hollande is holding a media briefing:

"It is a test when a magazine is attacked because it is a symbol of freedom," he said.

"We must do everything possible to ensure to protection of our country. We must make sure that prevention is more effective to avoid repetition of the events that we are witnessing. We must mobilise our intelligence services," he continued.

Hollande said that French security forces stopped a number of terrorist attacks in the last few months. He also praised the international community for its show of support after the Charlie Hebdo shooting. "When something happens in France, our neighbours realise it can happen in their countries."

10:17 French special forces have been spotted on the roof a building near the siege:

10:04 French police have appealed to film crews not to broadcast film of their positions to not alert suspects where they are.

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has given an update on the morning shootout: 4 wounded in hospital but "lives not at risk".

Residents of Dammartin are told to stay inside, switch off lights and stay away from windows, SKY News Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet reports.

10:02 MP for Seine-et-Marne Yvas Albarello has told iTele that the police negotiator got in contact with the suspects by phone and they expressed their desire to die as martyrs.

09:53 AFP confirming that suspect in yesterday's Paris shooting has been identified and two of his circle arrested.

09:51 Footage of French police at a roadblock on the edge of Dammartin en Goele.

09:49 The French Interior Ministry has told Reuters that it is "almost certain" that the two men involved in hostage situation are the two suspects in the Paris shooting.

09:47 An AFP photojournalist has released this image by Joel Saget of French special forces moving in on suspects.

09:43 AFP reporting a police source confirming that one hostage is being held by the suspects.

09:39 A video has emerged of helicopters hovering over Dammartin en Goele town in the search for the suspects.

09:35 The Paris prosecutor's office has denied reports that there are victims in morning shootout. Three primary schools in the area are on lockdown.

09:33 Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport has reportedly shut two of its four runways.

09:25 Two flights - AF7 and AF1695 - have just aborted landing at Charles-de-Gaulle airport as terrorists hold hostages nearby:

There are reports that other flights are being cancelled or abandoned because of the hostage situation.

09:18 The suspects are reportedly holed up with hostages in a design company called CTD - Creation Tendance Decouvert. Its premises are near Charles de Gaulle airport.

09:16 Olivier Perou, reporter at Le Point, has tweeted pictures from the siege in Dammartin:

09:14 AFP are now claiming that the suspects are holed up in a printing business in the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, as reported by the Globe and Mail's Mark MacKinnon.

09:12 According to France 24, the hostage was reportedly taken in a printing shop in northeast Paris.

09:04 A reporter on the ground, Edouard de Mareschal, has said "I'm in Dammartin Goëlle. All the village access are blocked. The BIS truck is on site. At least five helicopters."

08:59 Le Parisien is reporting that two have been killed and twenty wounded in shootout with suspects before hostage situation.

08:53 France's Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has confirmed that an operation to detain the two suspects is currently underway northeast of Paris.

08:50 France 24 have aired images of the alleged car chase for the two suspects.

08:44 Reuters are reporting at least one hostage has been taken in town northeast of Paris.

08:42 More pictures of helicopters over northeastern France are emerging.

08:38 Helicopters over northeast Paris as the situation continues to unfold.

08:35 BREAKING: AFP news agency reporting that hostages have been taken northeast of Paris.

08:32 A French security source has confirmed to Associated Press that the two suspects have stolen another vehicle and are on the move again, northeast of Paris.

08:28 AFP are reporting shots fired in a car chase northeast of Paris. Le Figaro is reporting that two men stole a car and they both match the description of the suspects. Still unconfirmed if it is the Kouachi brothers yet.

08:07 Monitoring groupSite Intelligence is reporting that the Islamic State group [IS] have praised the two suspects as "heroic jihadists".

"We start our bulletin with France. Heroic jihadists killed 12 journalists and wounded ten others working in the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, and that was support for our master (Prophet) Mohammad, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him," the clip said.

07:59 The Guardian is claiming that tens of thousands of French troops are part of the hunt for the two suspects, using technology such as heat-seeking cameras to find them.

07:52 According to AFP, the Paris casino in Las Vegas also dimmed the lights of its very own Eiffel Tower in honour of the shooting victims.

07:32 French President Francois Hollande is set to meet National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen after party protests that she will not be present at a national demonstration on Sunday.

07:22 As the manhunt for the two suspects continues, the search is now focused on the region of Picardy after they robbed a petrol station. Friday will see prayers held at French mosques in remembrance of the victims.

Welcome to IB Times UK's coverage of day three of the Paris shooting aftermath.

23:50 US President Barack Obama signed the condolence book beside the French Ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, in Washington, DC on 8 January, in tribute to the 12 victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris.

US President
US President Barack Obama (R) signs the condolence book beside French Ambassador to the United States G�rard Araud (L) in Washington, DC, January 8, 2015, to honor the 12 victims of the Islamist attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Obama, fresh from a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, signed the book of condolence at the embassy following the previous day's attack in the French capital that has sparked an ongoing manhunt for two suspected gunmen. Getty Images

23:45 Several local websites of French towns, Ezanville and Goussainville, have reportedly been hacked.

23:30 Tributes pouring in for French Muslim police officer Ahmed Merabet who died in yesterday's (7 January) attack on Charlie Hebdo with hashtag#JeSuisAhmed trending on Twitter.

23:25 US President Barack Obama has reportedly visited the French embassy in Washington to pay his respects following the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris.

23:20 US media is reporting the Kouachi brothers have been under scrutiny for years by French and American officials. A United States intelligence official said on Thursday (8 January) that the brothers have been on an American no-fly list for years.

23:00 Reports suggest third suspect, teenager Hamyd Mourad, was in school at the time of the attack. More on it here.

22:30 Rallies and support pouring in from within France and across Europe.

22:00 Moving words from Jon Stewart.

21:30 Police have reportedly pulled out of the village of Longpont and are now searching through a 51-square-mile dense forest, Forêt de Retz, where authorities think the two suspects, identified as Said and Cherif Kouachi, might be hiding out.

The forest is described as being "larger than Paris".

21:20 A vigil is underway in the centre of Birmingham tonight (January 8) inmemory of the 12 victims in the #CharlieHebdo massacre.

21:10 French novelist Michel Houellebecq's agent has said that the author has decided to suspend the promotion of his latest book, "Submission", which envisions a France run by a Muslim government.

Houellebecq has been, "profoundly affected by the death of his friend Bernard Maris in Wednesday's attack on Charlie Hebdo." He has also been given police protection following the attack.

21:00 A surviving columnist for Charlie Hebdo, Patrick Pelloux, has said: "Stupidity will not win. We can't let them win."

20:40 Charlie Hebdo website has announced that a 'survivor's' issue will be released on 14 January. Here's a snapshot of the website ...

Charlie Hebdo

20:30 Disneyland Paris held a minute's silence over the #CharlieHebdo massacre. Moments of silence pouring in from all over the world.20:00 The ever controversial Bill Maher has spoken on the #CharlieHebdo attack criticizing all religions as "stupid and dangerous".

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maher said: "We have to stop saying, 'Well we should not insult a great religion.' First of all, there are no great religions. They're all stupid and dangerous. And we should insult them. And we should be able to insult whatever we want. That is what free speech is like."

19.38 The lights have been dimmed on the Eiffel Tower as a mark of respect for the twelve people who were killed in an attack at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

19.00 The counter-extremism group Quilliam has released a statement calling for a "focus on how communities across Europe can begin to address the issues at the heart of this crisis".

The group's recommendations include:

  • Beyond the increase in security that will be necessary to catch the perpetrators of this cowardly act and stop the immediate plans for future attacks, European authorities must accept that there is no security solution for jihadist terrorism in Europe.
  • The European Union must develop a clear and consistent strategy for countering the Islamist extremist messaging that is used for radicalisation and recruitment to jihadist causes. We welcome the news that a temporary panel of experts is to be set up to advise governments on challenging Islamic State propaganda, but urge that this becomes a permanent body that can challenge the whole spectrum of Islamist ideologies and extremist narratives of all kinds.
  • European civil society must be resilient in the face of extremist provocations and not resort to far-right extremism or anti-Muslim hatred, which only serves to reinforce the worldview of Islamist extremists and aid recruitment to terrorist organisations.
  • Instead, civil society must treat extremism of all kinds as a social ill, even before it becomes violent. Muslim organisations have a role to play within this and must challenge extremist ideas that are used to legitimise terrorism. They must fulfil their role in preventing the creation within Muslim communities of an atmosphere conducive to terrorism.
  • We urge a period of introspection within Muslim communities in the West to seek the compatibility between their faith and their existence in liberal democracies of the 21st century. In particular, we support Muslims who want to challenge medieval blasphemy codes and want to seize their religion back from the violent extremists who have hijacked it.

18.43 US Attorney General Eric Holder will travel to Paris on Sunday in wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings for high-level terrorism meetings.

"The meetings will include discussions on addressing terrorist threats, foreign fighters and countering violent extremism," a US Department of Justice official said.

18.30 Nine people have now been arrested and detained in connection with the fatal shootings, the French Interior has confirmed. Up from seven who were held overnight.

18.26 Security has been increased across Paris. Cazeneuve said police have been mobilised to media outlets' headquarters, places of worship and religious schools, stations, schools and diplomatic representations as well as tourist sites. Transport security has also been intensified, he added.

Bernard Cazeneuve

18.10 Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, has released more information regarding sightings of the gunmen in northern France.

"Interpol has been alerted. Some men were spotted in Villers Cotterets this morning [where the Kouachi brothers are thought to have been sighted earlier]. The national police have acted in various places so as to arrest some suspects.

More than 90 people came forward as witnesses, several of them repeated words that have been uttered by the criminals. The post mortems of the victims have been done, and surveillance on the roads are being examined as well.

An anti-terrorism plan is being put into place and powerful means are being put together at the disposal of the police. Also I have invited in Paris on Sunday my colleagues from other European countries that are concerned, including Greece and the United States. It is also an opportunity, they tell me, to show solidarity with France."

17:58 Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister, said: "We need to know how to retain this consensus. National unity is vital at such a time because the plans of the terrorists go beyond violence and seek to sow fear... we need to be calm and show that we are not afraid and that we will remain united in this trial, and so the government condemns violence and profanations which are being levelled against some mosques since yesterday evening - fortunately without any victims.

"We will not tolerate any act, any threat aimed against a place of worship or any hostile manifestation against French people because of their origin or their religion. The authors of such actions should know that they too will be arrested and punished."

17:26 Police have mobilised 88,000 security forces in response to the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Members of the French police special force GIPN opens a door in Corcy, northern France
Members of the French police special force GIPN opens a door in Corcy, northern France Getty Images

17:21 Police are searching a stretch of countryside spanning from Soissons through Abbaye de Longpont up to Villers-Cotterets, according to reports. They are going door-to-door in the villages to keep residents indoors. A man who owns a hotel in Longpont told the BBC that police are eveywhere.

They asked me to close the hotel and to stay inside, not to go in the street. They are searching all the houses on the main street. It's a very small main street and I think now they are at the end of the village where there is a small part with new houses

16:36 Islamic State group's radio has praised Charlie Hebdo attackers as "heroes", according to AFP. "Jihadist heroes have killed 12 journalists and injured more than ten others working for magazine Charlie Hebdo to avenge Prophet Mohammed," al-Bayan official Isis radio said.

16:06 More photos of police arriving north of Paris are emerging on social media. Police are in the commune of Longpont here.

15:58 More news organisations have been reacting to the Charlie Hebdo killings. Here's Storyful's tribute.

15:40 The Matignon, the French Prime Minister's office, has raised the security threat level to its highest in the region of Picardie in the country's north.

14:18 Britain has decided to increase its border security in reaction to the killings in the French capital yesterday, according to Home Secretary Theresa May. The move is not based on specific intelligence but is a general response to the attack. Security will be increased at ports and borders.

14:14 Helicopters were earlier spotted over the town of Crepy-en-Valois in the search for the masked gunmen.