Reactions On Twitter To Attack On ‘Charlie Hebdo’ Including Hashtags #Paris Is Burning, #Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Messenger, #Lone Wolves Are Terrorizing France

MEMRI reports:

Following the deadly January 7, 2015 attack at the office of the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris, several new hashtags in Arabic were tweeted tens of thousands of times on Twitter – including #Charlie Hebdo, #Paris Is Burning, #Vengeance For [Insulting] The Prophet, #France Attack Is Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Messenger, and #The Lone Wolves Are Terrorizing France.

Many of those tweeting the hashtags, some of them supporters of the global jihad, including Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda, welcomed the attack and justified it as vengeance for the weekly’s insult to the Prophet Muhammad, that is, its publication of cartoons mocking him. Many praised the attackers, calling them heroes, and even warned that similar attacks would be coming soon. Others rejected the claim that the publication of cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad constituted freedom of expression; some even quoted the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s statements threatening attacks in response to the freedom to insult Islam.

In contrast, many condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators’ crime despicable, not representative of the true Islam, and a distortion of the image of Islam and Muslims in the West. They also condemned the extremist Muslims who are encouraging such actions.

This paper will review tweets published under these hashtags on January 7-8, 2015. It should be noted that these are tweets by individuals and that official reactions to the attack in the Arab media will be reviewed in an upcoming MEMRI report.

Revenge For Cartoons Of The Prophet Muhammad: ‘This Is The Punishment Of Anyone Insulting The Prophet’

As noted, among the hashtags launched on Twitter were #Vengeance For [Insulting] The Prophet and #France Attack Is Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Messenger. Many users who rejoiced at the attack said that it was vengeance for Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which constituted a grievous insult.

“New_sharurah2” tweeted: “We have not avenged the [insult] to the Prophet, but have [only] begun our vengeance. This vengeance will be incomplete until we have exterminated them and all their governments. Allah is fighting them and has humiliated them. #Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Prophet.”

Dr. Jassem Al-Kenane tweeted: “As vengeance for the [insult] to the prophet, France’s jihad fighters carried out an attack. Anyone who attacks the Messenger of Allah will receive more than that in return. #Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Prophet”

@qazpjQ tweeted: “#Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Prophet. Our Prophet Muhammad PBUH must not be mocked; our religion must not be mocked; we have brought you people who love martyrdom while you love life; you have been warned”

“Abu ‘Ahed” tweeted: “Paris is burning, and Europe trembles! Because he who displays hostility towards the best of creation [i.e. the Prophet Muhammad] his life is in danger. #Charlie Hebdo #Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Prophet”

@ymn8888 tweeted: “#France Attack Is Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Messenger. Anyone who permits himself to curse Allah or our Prophet PBUH [must know] that Islam [today] has a state [i.e. ISIS] and that it will not let him go unpunished.”

@ra29is tweeted: “He who was silent when they mocked the Prophet, and did not care, is the same as he who hastened to condemn and denounce the vengeance against them when it came. #Charlie Hebdo, #Vengeance For [Insulting] Allah’s Prophet”

Praising The Perpetrators, Justifying The Attack, Threats Of Additional Attacks

Many tweets expressed joy at the attack, praised the attackers as “heroes,” “men,” and “knights of Islam.” Some threatened additional attacks in the near future, stating that “this is just the beginning”; others expressed rage that the West allows insults to Islam on the pretext of “freedom of expression” and accused it of hypocrisy.

One tweet included the photos of two of the perpetrators, and added, “About them, we will say that they are men. #Charlie Hebdo”

@Is_omar88 tweeted a photo of the attackers in action, and wrote: “May your hands be blessed, knights of Islam. #Paris Is Burning”

@alfreed2022 tweeted: “They [Charlie Hebdo cartoonists] attacked our honorable Prophet, and therefore Allah brought them [punishment] that they never thought of..Praised be Allah who has shown us a black day for them. I am nearly beside myself with happiness. #Charlie Hebdo”

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