Search for Charlie Hebdo attackers: As it happened on Thursday

Paris: Two masked gunmen suspected to be Islamists on Wednesday massacred 12 people after storming a French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's office here, killing among others a cartoonist who drew a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.

• The suspected two gunmen were "formally recognised" by an employee at a petrol station south of Longpont this morning, France 24 reports. He said they wore balaclavas and were equipped with kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades.

• France 24 reported that an Interior Ministry official had earlier played down the chances of finding the gunmen in Longpont village. "We have not found them, there is no siege," he had said.

• Local media say the hunt for the gunmen is focused on the village of Longpont in north-east of Paris. Villagers there also being reportedly told to stay at home and keep their doors shut.

• Interior Minister Cazeneuve says nine people have been detained so far as part of the investigation.

• France 24 reports it is believed that the Charlie Hebdo shooting suspects are on foot, and that police forces' PUMA helicopters deployed are equipped with infrared and body heat tracking tech.

• The French Interior Ministry has informed that around 88,000 people are involved in the manhunt for the the Charlie Hebdo gunmen.

• Police continue door-to-door searches in Corcy, north-east of Paris.

• The latest reports say that it will remain unclear whether the police are closing in on the attackers until after they have apprehended (or not) the suspects.

• The manhunt for the two suspects seems to have moved to another phase as the French police have surrounded a house where the two gunmen may be held up, reported France24. TV visuals showed thick police presence outside a house in a town north-east of Paris. 

• Meanwhile, French news agency, AFP, is reporting that French prosecutors are officially treating Thursday's shooting in Paris, in which a policewoman died, as a terrorist act.

• In the latest news coming from France, it is being reported that the two armed suspects have now abandoned the car. Molotov cocktails and jihadist flags were found in the vehicle, AFP reports.

• The two gunmen, who were spotted moving in a car full of weapons, are said to have held up a gas station, stealing food and petrol and they fired gunshots as they fled, reports said. Police officers rushed to the scene and now even military helicopters were seen hovering over the area, the BBC reported.

• People across the world have popularised "I am Charlie" or "Je Suis Charlie" slogan in the aftermath of deadly attack on French magazine Hebdo Charlie. Silent vigils were held across the world and people placed pen and pencils as a tribute to the slain journalists.

• The Britain, too, has beefed up security at key points in the country in wake of Paris attack, reports say.

• France has deployed police at main entrance points to Paris so as to check  their exit from the town, says reports.

• The Kouachi brothers are said to have been spotted moving in a light grey coloured car north east of Paris, the BBC says. The gunmen are believed to be masked and armed. Their car's registration plates were also masked, according to a witness. Police believe they may be heading back to Paris, and armed officers are being posted at access points into the capital. 

• The two armed suspects were recognised by the manager of a petrol station near Villers-Cotteret in the northern Aisne region of France, the AFP reported.

• Meanwhile, in a befitting response to the terror attack, one of the editors of the targeted French satirical weekly, has said that the next issue of Charlie Hebdo will come out next Wednesday as scheduled, despite the gory attack on its magazine. We "will not let stupidity win", Patrick Pelloux told AFP.

• It's 11:00 am in France and the entire nation has paused for a minute of silence to mourn the victims of Charlie Hebdo attack. People gathered outside Notre Dame in Paris to pay a silent tribute to those slain in the terror attack yesterday. Also, the bells of Notre Dame will keep ringing for ten minutes. 

• In the latest from France, an AFP alert says that the gunmen matching the description of Kouachi brothers who carried out Charlie Hebdo attack, have been located in the northern part of the country at Villers-Cotterets in Aisne region​. The report says that they were seen in a car full of weapons in northern France.

• Meanwhile Pope Francis held prayers on Thursday for the victims of the attack, the Vatican said. In a statement, the Vatican said that the attack "brings to mind so much cruelty - human cruelty - so much terrorism, both isolated (incidents of) terrorism and of state terrorism," the CNN reported.

#PrayersForParis — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 8, 2015

• Even as France mourns the victims of Charlie Hebdo attack, a policewoman who was shot at by Islamist gunmen today, has reportedly succumbed to injuries.

• After an explosion heard near a mosque in Lyon, there are fresh reports of grenades being hurled into the courtyard of a mosque in French city of Le Mans, located west of Paris. The mosque has been cordoned off . No arrests have been made so far.

• Although the police so far has refrained from linking the attacks to ISIS, two months ago in November an Islamic State video featuring three French fighters had called for lone-wolf attacks in France.

"Terrorize them and do not allow them to sleep due to fear and horror. There are weapons and cars available and targets ready to be hit. Even poison is available, so poison the water and food of at least one of the enemies of Allah," the French fighters had threatened in the video.

• After a dozen were killed at Charlie Hebdo office, several attacks have been reported on France mosques, an AFP report quoted officials.

• To pay a tribute to those slain in attack on Charlie Hebdo attack, a minute's silence will be held across the country at midday and the bells of Notre Dame cathedral in the capital will toll. The police in UK too will be pausing at 10:30 GMT to pay respects to the victims.

• According to a BBC update, one of the two Paris policemen attacked by the gunmen on Thursday has been killed and identified as Ahmed Mourabet - a Muslim, believed to be of Moroccan origin.

• French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has confirmed that the attack at Charlie Hebdo magazine office and shooting at police in Paris, both are linked.

• In wake of a humongous amount of information floating on social media over the attacks in France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has cautioned all to act responsibly.

"I see there's a lot of information in the media, on the internet. This must not harm the investigation. I'm asking people to act responsibly. It's up to the investigators, the police, the gendarmerie, the justice system to carry out the investigation professionally, as quickly as possible, to apprehend these individuals, those who have carried out this abominable attack," the BBC quoted him as saying.

• Meanwhile, an explosion is said to have occurred at a restaurant (Kebab shop) near a mosque in the city of Lyon. Initial reports say no casualties have been recorded from this blast. 

• In wake of Charlie Hebdo attack, French President, Francois Hollande has convened an emergency crisis meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, where black ribbons were tied in a knot on the flags to mark the tragedy. Also, the French flag is flying at half-mast over the Elysee Palace in Paris
• French Interior Minister had to leave an emergency security meet to rush to the site of today's shooting. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has arrived at the scene of incident near Porte de Chatillon south of Paris, AFP reported. He has said that the man who shot at police is on the run.
• The attackers reportedly fled in metro after shooting at police.
• There has been another shooting incident in Paris today morning, with two cops being injured. An arrest is said to have been made in this case. However, according to a BBC report,it is too early to link this shooting to Charlie Hebdo attack.

• 
• Expressing solidarity with the attacked journalists, French newspapers have paid powerful tributes by drawing impactful cartoons that say a thousand words to honour the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine. In one such cartoon tribute sketched by MacLeod, a gunman is shown with his gun pointed towards the satirical magazine. While the gunman is shown as being "powerful", a hand holding a pen sketching a cartoon on the weekly magazine is denoted as "more powerful".
• According to a BBC report, the French police have detained and are questioning seven people, thought to be associates or family of the suspects. They were detained in the towns of Reims and Charleville-Mezieres, as well as in the Paris area.
• The two suspects were known to police and were "no doubt" being followed before the attack, Prime Minister Valls told RTL Radio.
• Talking to a French radio​ station, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls​ has said that several arrests had been made as a part of police hunt for Kouachi brothers blamed for Charlie Hebdo attack. 
• Although the hunt for the two brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi continue
• France has raised its terror alert system to the maximum 'Attack Alert' and bolstered security with more than 800 extra soldiers to guard media offices, places of worship, transport and other sensitive areas.
• French Ligue 1 and other football leagues in the country will observe a minute's silence before this weekend's games as a mark of respect for the terror attack victims.
• France is holding a day of mourning on Thursday for the 12 people killed in the Paris attack. A minute's silence will be observed at midday across the country and the bells of Notre Dame in the capital will toll.
• Renowned British novelist JK Rowling condemns the attack on Charlie Hebdo's office.

Sometimes a picture says it better than any writer could. #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/OP6h1YZUWs — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 7, 2015

• The Paris shooting is part of a larger confrontation between civilisation & those opposed to a civilised world, says US Secretary of State John Kerry.
• This radical idealism is spreading throughout World, all nations must take it seriously: SR Sinho, Security Expert on terror attack in Paris.
• The Guardian quotes French news broadcaster Itele claiming that the young suspect who surrendered before the police has claimed innocence. According to the French media reports, the alleged gunman said that he was in school at the time of the attack.
• Another source also confirms that " Hamid Mourad was arrested and put in custody"
• The 18 year old suspect has been identified as Hamid Mourad.
• An 18-year old man sought by France police in connection with Wednesday’s shootout at the office of Charlie Hebdo has handed himself voluntarily to police in northeastern France, an official at the Paris prosecutor`s office claims.
• The French police releases pictures of brothers wanted over magazine massacre.

  French Police issue wanted poster for #CharlieHebdo suspects, Kouachi brothers: "on the loose, armed & dangerous" pic.twitter.com/TrnPk9h6Mm — Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) January 8, 2015

• “The country's tradition of free speech had been attacked and calls on all French people to stand together. Our best weapon is our unity," Hollande says in a televised address late on Wednesday.
• President Francois Hollande calls it  "an act of terrorism" and declares a day of national mourning on Thursday.
• Social media users demonstrate solidarity with satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo after terrorist targeted its office in Paris Wednesday, killing 12 people.
• The US Embassy in France changes its Twitter avatar to the "Je suis Charlie" logo.
• France Police launches massive manhunt for three gunmen who shot dead 12 people at the office of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
• "I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people," the US President says in a written statement, describing France as the "oldest ally" of the United States that has stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Washington in the fight against terrorism.
• US President Barack Obama denounces the deadly attack on the offices of a Paris-based magazine, and pledges assistance, if need be, to bring the perpetrators to justice.
• "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the people of France, especially the families, friends and colleagues of those who were shot in cold blood in their office, and of those lying critically injured in hospital," his statement said.
• "I utterly condemn the appalling and ruthless attack on media workers and police officers in Paris earlier today," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, says in a statement.
• The United Nations Human Rights (UNHRC) chief also condemns the deadly shooting which claimed at least 12 lives.

Above are the Live Updates:

Two masked gunmen suspected to be Islamists on Wednesday massacred 12 people after storming a French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's office here, killing among others a cartoonist who drew a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.

World leaders have denounced the cold-blooded mayhem at the office of Charlie Hebdo and forced French President Francois Hollande to rush to the scene and call it "an act of terrorism".

Efe news agency said that illustrator and editor-in-chief known as Charb and three more cartoonists - Cabu, Tignous and Wolinski - were among the fatalities. Two police officers were also killed in the barbaric attack. Security has been stepped up across France in the wake of the attack, with Paris placed on the highest alert.

The satirical weekly has courted controversy in the past with its irreverent take on news and current affairs. It was fire-bombed in November 2011 a day after it carried a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad.