http://washington.cbslocal.com/2015/01/07/white-house-questioned-french-magazines-judgment-in-2012-for-publishing-naked-muhammad-cartoon/WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — The White House criticized French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2012 for publishing cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
Then White House Press Secretary Jay Carney questioned the magazine’s judgment after publishing images of Muhammad naked.
“We are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Muhammad, and obviously we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this,” Carney told reporters in September 2012.
Carney stated that the images would be “deeply offensive to many and have the potential to be inflammatory.”
“We don’t question the right of something like this to be published, we just question the judgment behind the decision to publish it,” Carney said at the time.
Three gunmen killed 12 people in the attack on the magazine’s Paris headquarters Wednesday. The gunmen can be heard yelling the Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar” in video of the attack.
French President Francois Hollande called it a “terrorist attack.”
President Barack Obama strongly condemned the attacks in a statement released by the White House.
“I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people,” Obama said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time.”
Obama added that he has directed his administration to provide any assistance needed to French authorities.
The gunmen still remain on the loose.
