French Police (Photo : www.ibtimes.com)
Police are now searching French woods for the suspects wanted in the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris as sources near the ongoing investigation said that a helicopter from the authorities may have spotted the fleeing gunmen.
According to CNN, the police force believes that Said and Cherik Kouachi traversed into the woods on foot. On Jan. 8, Thursday, the police helicopter caught a glimpse of the fugitives near Crepy-en-Valois in France.
Currently, the authorities are sweeping the area using helicopters fitted with night vision equipment.
After the reported sighting, a massive police task force, including heavily armed officers, dispersed at the region, sweeping the forest and outskirts for the Charlie Hebdo massacre suspects.
One gas station attendant reported that the gunmen threatened him, stealing food and gas for their vehicle and drove off the Villers-Cotterets, Picardy area on Jan. 8, Thursday, morning.
The Picardy region was then put under the highest alert level by Prime Minister Manuel Valls. The level is the same as the whole Ile-de-France region is currently under.
According to the interior minister of France, over 80,000 police officers were deployed all over the country following the reports.
The task force investigating the Charlie Hebdo shooting discovered gasoline and empty containers inside the suspects' vehicle.
The MI5, Britain's security service, is also working with the French authorities to help capture the wanted fugitives from the Charlie Hebdo shooting, which happened on Jan. 7, Wednesday. Twelve persons were killed in the terrorist attack due to the satire magazine's take on Islamic teachings.
However, even after the attack on its office, Charlie Hebdo will still publish next week.
According to BBC, instead of the usual 60,000 copies, the satire magazine will print one million to show that "stupidity will not win."
