Britain's MI5 Offers Help to France in Investigating Charlie Hebdo Attack

British intelligence agency MI5 offered to help French authorities in their investigation of the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine.

LONDON, January 8 (Sputnik) — British intelligence agency MI5 has offered its help to French authorities investigating the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris on Thursday.

"It is too early for us to come to judgments about the precise details or origin of the attack but it is a terrible reminder of the intentions of those who wish us harm. As you would expect, we are offering our French colleagues our full support as they respond," MI5 chief Andrew Parker told reporters.

Meanwhile, UK emergency security committee Cobra held a meeting on the Paris attack on Thursday in London. Home Secretary Theresa May presided at the meeting, with representatives of Scotland Yard and intelligence agencies taking part.

A representative from the prime minister's office claimed earlier that the United Kingdom would tighten security measures and border checks and had already sent police officers from anti-terrorist units to France.

A terror attack on the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo by alleged Islamic extremists claimed the lives of 12 people and injured 11 others. A nationwide manhunt has been launched for the gunmen. Brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi, French nationals of Algerian origin, are the main suspects.