Satire magazine Charlie Hebdo under fire for pasta-themed quake images

The images are 'a macabre, senseless and absurd insult to the victims.'

Satirical French Magazine "Charlie Hebdo" has made waves yet again for its controversial comics.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The cartoon features rubble from Amatrice's quakes stacked up with the bodies of victims squished between each layer.

The town is home to the pasta sauce "amatriciana," prompting a cartoon captioned "Earthquake Italian Style," with an image of a bleeding man with the caption "Penne in tomato sauce" and a bloodied and swollen woman and the words "Penne au gratin." Above the rubble stack was the word "Lasagna."

Another comic revealed a person partially buried beneath rubble and the caption, "Italians...it's not Charlie Hebdo who built your homes, it's the mafia!"

The people of Amatrice suffered a massive earthquake August 24, leaving nearly 300 people dead.

The 6.2 magnitude quake struck early Wednesday morning, with most people still asleep in their beds.

One citizen, Roberto Partenza, told CNN he woke to "a huge sound.

He explained: "Everywhere was shaking. I hugged my wife because I thought that was going to be the last moment of my life."

Before the quake could topple their home, trapping them inside, the couple pulled themselves from the debris, grabbed their children, packed a small bag of clothing and escaped the danger.

Survivors cried for help beneath their homes and first responders were forced to cordon off roads and bridges left unstable and destroyed.

The aftershocks continued for several days, leaving the townspeople homeless and afraid.

"What do we do?" 58-year-old Marissa Di Tommaso asked. "My son had two businesses here...Everything was destroyed...I wanted to stay here but if everybody leaves...we don't know."

As the citizens of Amatrice attempt to pick up the pieces of their lives, Charlie Hebdo released the sensitive comic, leading to a huge backlash.

Reuters reported Amatrice will be suing the publication for comparing victims to pasta and suggesting the mafia was responsible for the quake.

Mario Cicchetti, a lawyer for Amatrice City Hall, called the cartoons "a macabre, senseless and absurd insult to the victims."

Amatrice has already asked a local prosecutor to investigate the magazine for "aggravated defamation" and seeks civil damages.

This is not the first time Charlie Hebdo has faced a lawsuit for its controversial content.

In 2007, the magazine was taken to court for a depiction of the prophet Muhammad, eventually leading to an attack by angry Muslims.

The attack left 12 people dead, including Charlie Hebdo's top editor and several cartoonists. Hopefully the case won't lead to more bloodshed and can come to a peaceful conclusion.

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