New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS): The Press Council of India (PCI) Thursday condemned as "barbaric" and "brutal" the attack on a French satirical magazine in which 12 people were killed.

"I am sad to learn about the brutal killings of a large number of journalists in a terrorist attack in Paris. The only fault they seem to have committed was to exercise their right of freedom of expression," PCI chairman Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad said in a statement here.

"I condemn the barbaric act and convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray to god that he gives them the strength to bear this loss," he said.

At least 12 people were killed Wednesday in a shooting at the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine.

The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) also expressed deep shock and outrage over the attack.

IJU president S.N. Sinha and secretary-general Devulapalli Amar said that the cartoons and cartoonists were usually irreverent of anybody standing on high pedestal and were meant to expose their follies and bring out their human frailties.

"By attacking and killing four cartoonists, the terrorists threw a challenge to the fourth estate which must be met with 'we do not care and we cannot be intimidated' attitude and carry out the task of freedom of expression with renewed vigor," they said in a statement.