THE WEBSITE OF French magazine Charlie Hebdo went offline during an attack which saw 10 of its staff members killed.

Gunned down by apparent militant Islamists in Paris, the victims included editor Stephane Charbonnier, four well-known cartoonists and two police officers.

The massacre has been met with global condemnation and the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie has trended on Twitter in solidarity with the magazine.

The publication’s website has now gone back online – with one message.

The pdf link leads to a hastily put together document of #JeSuisCharlie translated into numerous languages.

The gunmen are still on the loose in Paris and France has raised its terror alert to the highest level.

Police have said that the gunmen shouted, “We have avenged the prophet” during the attack and President Francois Hollande has noted that it was “undoubtedly a terrorist attack”.

US President Barack Obama joined the voices condemning the attack in the strongest possible terms. He called France America’s “oldest ally” and promised help after the “outrageous attack”.

US Secretary of State spoke French during a press conference saying that the “pen is an instrument of freedom, not fear”.

Free expression and a free press are core values… principles that can be attacked but never eradicated.

This evening, large crowds have gathered in the city to pay respects to the victims.