The satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo has a history of poking fun at popes, presidents as well as the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
But the French newspaper has a history of drawing crude cartoons of Islam’s holiest figure which infuriate the Muslim world. The weekly has repeatedly caricatured Muslims and their beliefs.
In November 2011, the magazine’s offices were firebombed after it in printed a spoof issue that “invited” Prophet (PBUH) to be its guest editor and put his caricature on the cover.
Editor Stephane Charbonnier, who used the pen name Charb, said, “Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) isn’t sacred to me.” “I don’t blame Muslims for not laughing at our drawings. I live under French law. I don’t live under Quranic law.”
Charb lived under police protection after 2011 Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) issue when Charlie Hebdo has come under pressure. Its website has been hacked. It faced a lawsuit over the prophet (PBUH) cartoons.
Charb and his bodyguard were among the 10 journalists gunned down on Wednesday.
Charlie Hebdo makes fun of retired Pope Benedict XVI in amorous embrace with a Vatican guard; an Orthodox Jew kissing a Nazi soldier and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy looking like a sick vampire.