New Charlie Hebdo cover draws criticism, al-Qaida threatens France

Amid growing concerns about future attacks across the country, the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo continued to feature provocative cartoons of Prophet Muhammad while being targeted by al-Qaida. The group has threatened France with more terrorist attacks and called on France to halt anti-Islamic policies.

"France is paying the price for its aggression against Muslims and its hostile policy toward Islam," an al-Qaida offshoot said in a message posted online. "As long as its soldiers occupy countries like Mali and the Central African Republic, bombard our people in Syria and Iraq and its stupid press continues to undermine our prophet, France will see the worst," read the post.

The cover of the new issue features the prophet with a tear in his eye, holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign under the headline "All is forgiven." The new issue will be published today, a week after the Paris massacre where 17 people were killed.

The French weekly has been heavily criticized after depicting Prophet Muhammad, which is strictly prohibited in Islam. The provocative depictions of religious leaders made the French weekly a possible target for the renewed attacks of militants in revenge for the paper's publication of satirical images of the prophet.

The release of the new issue with the prophet on the front page was criticized, while French Muslim groups called for calm and respect for freedom of opinion over the new Charlie Hebdo cover. The Muslim community in France was called on to "stay calm and avoid emotive reactions that are incompatible with its dignity ... while respecting freedom of opinion," in a joint statement released by the French Council of the Muslim Religion and the Union of French Islamic Organizations.