France this week commemorates the victims of last year's Islamist militant attacks on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo

The satirical weekly’s Paris newsroom, famous for producing provocative magazines poking fun at religion and politics, was targeted by Islamist militants last year after drawing a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.

This week’s cover – an anniversary edition commemorating the attacks which killed 12 one year ago tomorrow – shows a cartoon of an angry God with blood on his arms and legs and a rifle strapped to his back.

The headline reads: “One year later, the assassin is still on the run.”

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◾Vatican daily newspaper L’Osservatore Romano accused Charlie Hebdo of looking to “manipulate” faith.



The paper commented: “Behind the deceptive flag of an uncompromising secularism, the French weekly once again forgets what religious leaders of every faith have been urging for ages – to reject violence in the name of religion and that using God to justify hatred is a genuine blasphemy.

“Charlie Hebdo’s move shows the sad paradox of a world which is increasingly sensitive about being politically correct to the point of being ridiculous … but does not want to recognise or respect believers’ faith in God, regardless of their religion.

Pope Francis has been an outspoken critic of Charlie Hebdo in the past, saying: “You can’t provoke, you can’t insult the faith of others, you can’t make fun of faith.”

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the Vatican and four prominent French imams issued a joint declaration urging the media to treat all religions with respect.

Tomorrow, France marks the anniversary of the Islamist assault on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, the first of two deadly attacks which shock the French capital in 2015.

Subdued ceremonies are to take place under heavy security to mark the attacks on the weekly magazine and a kosher supermarket in which three gunmen killed 17 people.



A woman looks at the special commemorative edition of Charlie Hebdo


The makeshift memorial site on Place de la Republique in Paris

The makeshift memorial site on Place de la Republique in Paris


With the country on high alert since then and right throughout the Christmas period, soldiers will be out in force protecting official buildings and religious sites for the “Charlie” anniversary.

On January 10, another ceremony will take place on the Place de la Republique, the square in eastern Paris which attracted mass rallies in favour of free speech and democratic values after the attacks.

President Francois Hollande will preside over the ceremony, during which a 10-metre-high commemorative oak tree will be planted.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/632108/Charlie-Hebdo-anniversary-magazine-angers-Catholics-provocative-cover-God

haha. He's lucky french people are civilized.....

Were pix