Al-Qaeda in Yemen claims it organised Paris attack

A COMMANDER of al-Qaeda in Yemen has claimed responsibility for the terror attacks on Charlie Hebdo, hailing the gunmen as “heroes” and “brave men” who “lit the torch of glory” for Islam.

A woman puts up a sign reading "I Am Charlie", "I Am A Police Officer", "I Am Mourning", and "I Am Jewish". Picture: AP

Nasr al-Ansi, a top commander of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP as the branch is known, posted a video on the organisation’s Twitter account, saying that it “chose the target, laid out the plan and financed the operation” against the satirical publication – although he produced no evidence to support the claim.

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Meanwhile, a separate video has revealed Islamic State militants claiming that “IS will come to Europe”, threatening more attacks and urging radicals to “kill infidels”.

If masterminded by AQAP, the Charlie Hebdo strike is the Yemen-based branch’s first successful strike outside its home territory – and a triumph for its trademark double-strategy of waging jihad in Yemen to build its strength to strike abroad.

Al-Ansi said: “We, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, claim responsibility for this operation as vengeance for the messenger of Allah.”

In the 11-minute video, al-Ansi accused France of belonging to the “party of Satan” and warned of more “tragedies and terror” in the future.

In the second video, published yesterday by a IS media outlet in Raqqa, Syria, three militants are seen speaking, one while holding a large gun. The first militant said: “I say to all French people who think that the Islamic State won’t arrive in Europe, with God’s help, we will arrive in Europe.

“I say to all my brothers that cannot immigrate and join the Islamic caliphate, try to resist with all means, kill them, slaughter them, burn their cars and homes. Kill all infidels that you see in the streets.”

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