Al-Qaeda video claiming responsibility for Charlie Hebdo attacks “authentic”: U.S.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — An Al-Qaeda video claiming responsibility for last week’s bloodshed at the French satirical newspaper was “authentic”, but U.S. officials were cautious about holding the terrorist organization responsible for the attack, a State Department spokeswoman said Wednesday.

“The (U.S.) intelligence community has now determined that the AQAP video is authentic,” said spokeswoman Marie Harf, adding that officials were still determining if the claim of responsibility was true.

“We hold the attackers responsible for the attacks clearly,” said Harf. “We’re still trying to get complete fidelity in the exact links.”

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the rampage that claimed 12 lives at the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo. In the video, the AQAP said the attack was masterminded and financed by the group. However, it did not claim responsibility for Friday’s deadly conflicts at Jewish Kosher grocery store in Paris.

Primarily operating in Yemen, AQAP is considered the most active of Al-Qaeda’s branches.