Charlie Hebdo 'Survivors' Issue' Sells Out

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French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has sold out around France within hours of appearing for the first time since Islamist gunmen massacred 12 people at its offices.

Despite warnings that the image could provoke further attacks by extremists, queues formed at newsstands across Paris from the early hours of the morning, with Parisians desperate to get their hands on one of the initial 700,000 copies on offer.

The front cover of the magazine once again depicts the Prophet Mohammed, this time holding a sign that says "Je suis Charlie," the slogan taken up by supporters since last week's attack.

It carries the headline: "All is forgiven".

To meet demand, distributors quickly announced that the ultimate print run would be boosted from three million to five million.

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Gallery: France Queues At Newstands For Charlie Hebdo

A queue of people wait outside a kiosk to get a copy of Charlie Hebdo in Saint Germain en Laye, France

People wait outside a newsagents in Paris. The latest edition of Charlie Hebdo since Islamist attacks on the magazines offices left 12 people dead has sold out in many parts of France

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The new edition of Charlie Hebdo is prepared for delivery at a press distribution center in the suburbs of Paris

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Distributors say the paper will print five million copies of its new edition to meet demand. Continue through for more pictures

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Ordinarily Charlie Hebdo publishes around 60,000 copies.

One woman working at a newspaper kiosk said: "It was incredible. I had a queue of 60-70 people waiting for me when I opened.

"I've never seen anything like it. All my 450 copies were sold out in 15 minutes."

Sky's Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet said: "This newsstand behind me outside the Gare de l'Est had 75 copies this morning, they all went.

"You can't get a copy inside the Gare de l'Est railway station at all, such is the demand not just here, but all around the world."

Copies of the "survivors' issue" have appeared on the ebay auction site, with bids reaching up to £1,550.

The publication comes a week to the day after eight of the magazine's journalists, including the editor, and four others were shot dead by gunmen Said and Cherif Kouachi.

Gunman Amedy Coulibaly is accused of killing a policewoman and four shoppers at a kosher grocery store in the wake of the massacre.

Al Qaeda in Yemen has claimed reasonability for Charlie Hebdo attack in a new video, saying it was an act of "vengeance" following Charlie Hebdo's publication of images of the Prophet Mohammed.

The magazine had faced threats and was firebombed for featuring cartoons of the prophet in the past.

Islamic State has condemned the publication of the latest cartoon as an "extremely stupid" act, news agency AFP has reported.

"Charlie Hebdo has again published cartoons insulting the prophet and this is an extremely stupid act," said a statement read on the jihadist group's Al-Bayan radio.

Iran, meanwhile, has described the publication as "insulting" and "provocative".

Muslim groups have also warned the cartoon could "stir up hatred".

Al Azhar, Sunni Islam's most prestigious centre of learning based in Cairo, Egypt, said the drawings "do not serve the peaceful co-existence between peoples and hinders the integration of Muslims into European and Western societies."

French Muslim groups have also urged their communities to "stay calm and avoid emotive reactions" to the magazine.

Profits from the publication, will also be available in English, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Turkish, will go to the families of victims of the shooting.

The lead editorial said: "For the past week, Charlie, an atheist newspaper, has achieved more miracles than all the saints and prophets combined.

"The one we are most proud of is that you have in your hands the newspaper that we always made."

It also features a joke about the bells of Notre Dame cathedral ringing out for its murdered satirists, as well as jibes at the terrorists who killed them.

France has declared a "war on terrorism" in the wake of the attacks.

More than 50 people have since been detained for defending or glorifying terrorism, including controversial comedian Dieudonne.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed that US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Paris on Friday to meet French President Francois Hollande.

It comes after US congressman Randy Weber compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler after he did not attend a unity march in Paris over the weekend.

"Even Adolph Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong reasons.) Obama couldn't do it for right reasons," the Texas Republican wrote.

He has since issued an apology.

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