IS hails Charlie Hebdo attackers as 'heroes'

The Islamic State (IS) jihadi organisation Thursday hailed the alleged perpetrators of Wednesday's terror attack on the office of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, as 'heroes'.

The IS, in a statement, accused the French weekly of insulting Prophet Mohammed since 2003, adding that among those killed in the massacre were cartoonists who have been mocking Islam.

In Wednesday's attack, gunmen burst into Charlie Hebdo's Paris office with automatic weapons, killing 12 people, including the editor of the weekly and three acclaimed cartoonists, and wounding more than 20 other people before making a well-planned getaway.

Charlie Hebdo had been the target of attacks in the past too by Islamists deeply angered by its satirical treatment of Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

French police have stepped up their efforts to track down the suspects.

Two of the suspects involved in the attack were reportedly spotted in northern France Thursday, while a third surrendered to police as France went into mourning a day after the tragedy.