A firebomb attack has caused serious damage to the headquarters of French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, that "invited" the Prophet Muhammad to be a guest editor and printed an image of him on its cover.
Claude Gueant, the French interior minister, condemned the attack saying the attack was against press freedom.
While Islam prohibits any representation of Allah and the prophet, the cartoon can be seen as offensive by some Muslims.
Similar cartoons published in Denmark in 2005 caused violent worldwide reactions with one cartoonist being attacked.
The French Muslim Council condemned the attack but deplored the deeply mocking tone of the newspaper towards Islam and its prophet.
Several press organisations have offered their support to help Charlie Hebdo hit the stands next Wednesday, saying, it is a matter of principle, defending the freedom of the press.
Al Jazeera's Estelle Youssouffa reports from Paris.
