Private Eye editor Ian Hislop has spoken out after the shooting at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris today , calling it "a murderous attack on free speech".

The Have I Got News For You regular made the remarks after it was confirmed that 12 people were killed during the attack.

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"I am appalled and shocked by this horrific attack - a murderous attack on free speech in the heart of Europe," Hislop said.

"I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those killed - the cartoonists, journalists and those who were trying to protect them."

He added: "They paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty.

"Very little seems funny today."

Pour que Charlie vive pic.twitter.com/KnB2xd2da5 — Luc Bronner (@lucbronner) January 7, 2015

French news outlets Radio France, Le Monde and France Télévisions have issued a statement promising to support Charlie Hebdo and its staff.

The National Union of Journalist (NUJ) has described the killings as "an attempt to assassinate the free press".