Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to defend “our way of life, our values” in the wake of the Paris terror attack.

In the wake of the “barbaric” Paris attack in which 12 people were shot dead, the prime minister warned more terrorist atrocities could be expected.

With heightened concerns about terror attacks in Indonesia, India and Turkey, Mr Abbott vowed to defend “our way of life, our values”.

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“My plea to Australians, home and abroad, is do not let terror deter you from living your normal life,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

Mr Abbott linked the Paris attack to the jihadist group Islamic State.

It demonstrated the extent to which the IS or Daesh death-cult had declared war on the whole world, he said.

“These people, they are in love with death, as was demonstrated by the Martin Place siege in Sydney.”

“There are people who think that free, pluralist, easygoing societies such as ours are some kind of a satanic expression.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten described the attack at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo as a “senseless and horrific” act of terrorism.

“There is no place in any democratic society for extremism that threatens our liberties,” he said.

Other federal politicians were more strident in expressing their outrage.

Nationals MP Andrew Broad didn’t mince his words: “May they hunt down and catch these scum,” he tweeted.

Cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull said the “murderous attack” on the offices of the weekly newspaper was an attack on every free society and every journalist.

Nationals senator Matthew Canavan asked what kind of “deformed ideology” thought it brave or honourable to shoot unarmed and innocent people.

“It reflects their cowardice and weakness.”

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd said the attack was “beyond obscenity”.

An Australian counter-terrorism expert believes the gunmen involved in the attack almost certainly had combat experience and were probably linked to IS.

“This is something that seems to be the work of professionals,” Monash University professor Greg Barton said.

“There’s always been this fear, if you get people who have military training and act like soldiers they’d be so much more effective.”

Foreign fighters who made it through combat experience overseas and returned home were “much, much more dangerous and radicalised”.

“They have practical, tactical tradecraft they didn’t have previously and this pattern seems to fit the darkest fears we have about Islamic State.”

Mr Abbott said there was no information to suggest an imminent threat to Australia as a result of the Paris attack.

The Department of Foreign Affairs says Australians in Paris should remain vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities.

While the terror level in Paris has been lifted to its highest possible state, DFAT’s travel advice is to exercise normal safety precautions.

Earlier in the week, Australian travellers were warned that terrorists may be planning attacks in Indonesia following US government warnings.

Indian authorities have also warned of possible terrorist attacks in Mumbai.