French Interior Ministry Denies Reports of Arrest of Paris Attack Suspects

The Ministry of the Interior of France reportedly denied reports that those suspected of carrying out the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris have been detained.

PARIS, January 8 (Sputnik) — The Ministry of the Interior of France denied reports by the French media that the suspects of Wednesday attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s office in Paris were detained, Liberation newspaper said Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Liberation said on its website that the police have detained all three suspects.

Minutes later the newspaper added that according to the French Ministry of the Interior, the attackers have been identified and localized but not detained yet.

On Wednesday morning, three masked men opened fire in the office of satirical weekly magazine in Paris, Charlie Hebdo killing 12 people, including two police officers and injuring 11.

French President Francois Hollande declared Thursday a day of mourning. Flags will also fly at half-mast across the country for three days.

According to French media, the suspects are Frenchmen of Algerian origin, aged 34, 32 and 18. Two of them returned from Syria in the summer of 2014.