The suspects have apparently robbed a petrol station in the north of France.
They stole food and petrol, firing shots as they struck at the roadside stop near Villers-Cotterets in the Aisne region, French media report.
With the suspects being on the loose in the north of the country, Britain has increased security along its southern border in places such as ports and at Eurostar and in such places along the north coast of France.
France has observed a minute's silence for the 12 people killed at the office of the satirical magazine.
Earlier in the day, a gunman shot dead a policewoman in southern Paris.
It's also emerged that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who coincidentally attended a meeting with David Cameron in London yesterday for crunch EU talks, was allowed to attend a briefing between Cameron and the British security services after the terrorist attack. This was described as being "unusual".
Charlie Hebdo massacre: Suspects 'rob service station'
8 January 2015
BBC News
French police released photos of the Kouachi brothers - Cherif (L) and Said (R)
The two main suspects in the Islamist attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris are said to have robbed a service station in the north of France.
They stole food and petrol, firing shots as they struck at the roadside stop near Villers-Cotterets in the Aisne region, French media report.
France has observed a minute's silence for the 12 people killed at the office of the satirical magazine.
Earlier in the day, a gunman shot dead a policewoman in southern Paris.
Police sealed off the petrol station near Villers-Cotterets after the robbery
A second person was seriously injured in the attack in the suburb of Montrouge, after which the gunman fled.
It is unclear if the attack is related to the pursuit of prime suspects Cherif and Said Kouachi.
According to the manager of the service station that was robbed on the RN2 road in Aisne at about 10:30 (09:30 GMT), the attackers fit the description of the two men, and were heavily armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
They are said to have driven off in the direction of Paris in a Renault Clio car, apparently the same vehicle hijacked in Paris soon after the Charlie Hebdo attack.
According to French commercial channel BFMTV, police are monitoring all of the main entry roads into the capital.
A minute's silence was held for the 12 people killed at the Charlie Hebdo office
The victims
Those killed (from left) include economist Bernard Maris, prominent cartoonists Wolinski and Cabu, Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier and cartoonist Bernard Verlhac
Charlie Hebdo editor and cartoonist Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, 47, who had been living under police protection since receiving death threats
Cartoonists Jean "Cabu" Cabut, 76, Bernard "Tignous" Verlhac, 57, Georges Wolinski, 80, and Philippe Honore, 73
Economist and regular magazine columnist Bernard Maris, 68, known to readers as Uncle Bernard
Mustapha Ourrad, proof-reader
Elsa Cayat, psychoanalyst and columnist, the only woman killed
Michel Renaud, who was visiting from the city of Clermont-Ferrand
Frederic Boisseau, 42, caretaker, who was in the reception area at the time of the attack
Police officers Franck Brinsolaro, who acted as Charb's bodyguard, and Ahmed Merabet, 42, who was shot dead while on the ground
Source: Le Monde newspaper and other French media
Obituary: Defiant editor
Live updates
People stood in silence in public squares across France at midday (11:00 GMT) as the bells of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and churches nationwide tolled in mourning.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve warned against jumping to conclusions after the pre-dawn shooting in Montrouge.
The gunman was armed with a machine-gun and a pistol and wore a bullet-proof jacket, police sources told AFP news agency.
A local resident, Ahmed Sassi, described a "scene of panic". He said he had seen a police officer standing and then a man dressed in dark clothes who ran up and shot the officer "at point black range".
"I saw the officer fall and a colleague call for help," Mr Sassi said.
Overnight, seven people believed to be connected to the Kouachi brothers were detained in the towns of Reims and Charleville-Mezieres, as well as in the Paris area.
Cherif Kouachi was sentenced in 2008 to three years in prison for belonging to a Paris-based group sending jihadist fighters to Iraq.
British MPs stand in Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster holding pens in solidarity with victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack. Britain has increased security along its southern border
A man was also seriously injured in the shooting
Police officers assisted a woman at the scene of the shooting in Montrouge
Armed police deployed in Reims overnight
The French flag is flying at half-mast over the Elysee Palace in Paris
French President Francois Hollande presided over an emergency cabinet meeting in Paris on Thursday
'We killed Charlie Hebdo'
Paris has been placed on the highest terror alert and extra troops have been deployed to guard media offices, places of worship, transport and other sensitive areas.
On Wednesday, eight journalists - including the magazine's editor - died along with a caretaker and a visitor when masked men armed with assault rifles stormed the Charlie Hebdo offices during an editorial meeting. Eleven people were also wounded, some seriously.
President Hollande has described the dead as heroes, as Gavin Hewitt reports.
Two policemen were also killed.
Witnesses say the gunmen shouted "we have avenged the Prophet Muhammad" and "we killed Charlie Hebdo", as well as "God is Great" in Arabic.
The attackers fled to northern Paris before abandoning their car and hijacking a Renault Clio, police say.
The magazine's office was firebombed in 2011. It had angered some Muslims by printing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad as part of its irreverent take on news and current affairs.
Vigils were held through the night in Paris and cities worldwide in tribute to the dead. Many demonstrators held up placards reading "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) in solidarity with the victims.
People held up symbolic pencils during the public silence outside Notre Dame cathedral in Paris
Billboards in Paris showed the words "I am Charlie"
BBC News - Charlie Hebdo massacre: Suspects 'rob service station'
That's good to see. Apparently several German newspapers have also printed lots of front covers of Charlie Hebdo. British newspapers have missed a trick in not doing the same.
Also, the Danish newspaper which printed that cartoon of Mohammed a few years ago has reprinted it.
The editor of Private Eye, the satirical magazine which is Britain's equivalent of Charlie Hebdo, has condemned the attack.
Ian Hislop, who is also a long time star of BBC comedy panel show Have I Got News For You, has said: 'Very little seems funny today'
Private Eye's Ian Hislop responds to Charlie Hebdo attack: 'Very little seems funny today'
Four of France’s most celebrated political cartoonists were among the 12 who died after gunmen stormed the French magazine office
Jenn Selby
Wednesday 07 January 2015
The Independent
Ian Hislop has issued a statement following the shooting dead of 12 people at the office of French satirical magazine
Charlie Hebdo.
Among the casualties were four of France’s most celebrated political cartoonists Jean Cabu, Stephane “Charb” Charbonnier, Bernard “Tignous” Verlhac and Bernard Maris.
“I am appalled and shocked by this horrific attack - a murderous attack on free speech in the heart of Europe,” the
Private Eye editor wrote.
“I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those killed - the cartoonists, journalists and those who were trying to protect them.
“They paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty.
“Very little seems funny today”
Witnesses said that at least two gunmen were involved in the attack, and that they were seen armed with AK-47s and pump-action shotguns.
The attackers are yet to have been tracked down by police.
Video footage posted to social media earlier showed the gunmen running through the streets of Paris, shooting with automatic weapons and shouting “Allahu Akbar”. According to an eye-witness, one of the men said: “The Prophet is avenged.”
Gerard Biard, Charlie Hebdo’s editor-in-chief, who was in London at the time of the attack, said: “I don’t understand how people can attack a newspaper with heavy weapons. A newspaper is not a weapon of war.”
Barack Obama, David Cameron and Angela Merkel have all condemned the “barbaric” killings and vowed to stand up for freedom of expression.
Little is yet known of the gunmen or their motivations.
Charlie Hebdo was firebombed in 2011 after they published a spoof issue “guest edited” by the Prophet Mohammed.
The magazine has been threatened on numerous occasions for publishing the religious cartoon caricatures.
The front page of today's Independent
Private Eye's Ian Hislop responds to Charlie Hebdo attack: 'Very little seems funny today' - People - News - The Independent
