Pope Francis issued a statement on Wednesday’s terrorist attack against France’s satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, calling the actions an “abominable” affront to peace.
Gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar!” killed 12 people, including the newspaper’s editor, in an attack thought to be motivated by the publication’s depiction of Islam.
“The Holy Father expresses his firmest condemnation of the horrible attack,” chief Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in statement, Reuters reported. “Whatever its motivation might be, homicidal violence is abominable [and] is never justified.”
The pope added that such attacks undermine “the fundamental good of peaceful coexistence of people despite national, religious and cultural differences,” Reuters reported.
France’s President Francois Hollande said the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s employees constituted “exceptional barbarism,” and pledged to hunt down the killers, The Associated Press reported.
“Let us unite, and we will win,” Mr. Hollande said, AP reported. “Vive la France!”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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