Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement condemning the terrorist attack in France that left at least 12 people dead at the offices of a satirical newspaper:

“I join in strongly condemning today’s disturbing terrorist attack in Paris – one of the great cites of the world.  I want to express my condolences to the families of the newspaper staff and police officers who were killed.   For years, the U.S. and France have had close cooperation in combating terrorism.  In Europe, France is at the front lines of a dangerous and growing jihadist ideology that again demonstrated today that it knows no bounds.  Sadly, this is not the first time terrorists have attacked this satirical newspaper for exercising free speech – a pillar of the civilized world.  Today’s brutality is another crude reminder of the terrorist threat to all those living in free societies.” 

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