Pope Francis prayed for the gunmen behind the Charlie Hebdo massacre and their victims while bemoaning mankind's cruelty on Thursday. Wednesday's "terror attack in Paris brings to mind so much cruelty — human cruelty — so much terrorism, both isolated [incidents of] terrorism and of state terrorism," he said during daily Mass, according to Vatican Radio. "Of how much cruelty is man capable!"
The pontiff added: "We pray, in this Mass, for the victims of this cruelty — so many of them — and we pray also for the perpetrators of such cruelty, that the Lord might change their heart."
Thursday was a day of mourning in France as the massive manhunt continued for two heavily-armed brothers suspected of carrying out the attack. Police issued an appeal for sightings of Cherif Kouachi, 32, and his brother, Said, 34, warning that the pair should be considered "armed and dangerous." Cherif had a history of funneling jihadi fighters to Iraq and was convicted of terrorism offences in 2008.
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