Al-Qaeda says it directed attack on French satirical magazine
The two gunmen brandishing AK-47 assault rifles on the street outside the magazine offices. (Supplied) Supplied
Members of al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen say the group directed the attack on the French magazine Charlie Hebdo.
A member of the branch says the group directed the attack against the French satirical magazine in Paris "as revenge for the honour" of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
The member has provided a statement to The Associated Press in English saying "the leadership of AQAP directed the operations and they have chosen their target carefully".
He says the attack was in line with warnings from the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to the West about "the consequences of the persistence in the blasphemy against Muslim sanctities".
He said the group delayed its declaration of responsibility for "security reasons."
He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the group's regulations.
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