Al-Qaeda in Yemen admits responsibility for Charlie Hebdo attacks and warns West of more 'tragedies and terror'

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A top al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leader has released a video claiming responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo attack and warning the West of more "tragedies and terror".

Nasr al-Ansi, a top commander of AQAP as the branch is known, appeared in an 11-minute video posted Wednesday, saying that the massacre at Charlie Hebdo was in "vengeance for the Prophet."

Twelve people were killed when brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi launched their assault during an editorial meeting in the magazine’s offices.

The paper had in the past published cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed and today released the first edition since the massacre of its offices which also depicts Mohamed.

One the Kouachi brothers was filmed shouting "we are avenging the Prophet" after the killings at Charlie Hebdo.

The video, entitled "A message regarding the Blessed Battle of Paris', was released via the Al-Malahem Media arm of the group.

In it, Al-Ansi said France belongs to the "party of Satan" and warned of more "tragedies and terror." He claimed the al-Qaeda branch "chose the target, laid out the plan and financed the operation".

He highlights "crimes" committed in Central Africa, saying: "Look at it. It is France that has shared all of America's crimes. It is France that has committed crimes in Mali and the Islamic Maghreb. It is France that supports the annihilation of Muslims in Central Africa in the name of race cleansing."

Al-Ansi also called for Muslim youth to "rise up" and described the Paris shooting as " a new turning point in the history of confrontation".

In a translation of the video under the heading "Our message to the Western nation", it added: "We have warned you before about the consequences of these deeds that your governments collude with under the pretext of 'freedom of press' or 'freedom of ideas'.

"The freedom that is always tamed except when spreading vile and waging war on Allah and His Messengers and defaming the religion.

"We tell you once again: Stop your insults on our Prophet and sanctities. Stop spilling our blood. Leave our lands. Quit plundering our resources. Otherwise, by Allah, do not expect of us except tragedies and terror. You will look for peace and stability but you will not find it."

Al-Ansi also praised the separate attack on a Jewish supermarket by Amedy Coulibaly, an associate of the brothers, who killed four hostages before being gunned down by French police.