Got him! Magnotta arrested in Berlin
NEWS / Posts foreshadow flight from North America, reveal state of mind
Justin Ling / National / Friday, June 01, 2012
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UPDATE, JUNE 6, 12:35PM -- XTRA STAFF: The investigation into packages containing a hand and a foot mailed to two Vancouver schools on April 5 has been turned over to Montreal police, raising questions about a connection to the Magnotta case. The packages allegedly originated from Montreal and are being sent back there for DNA testing. Vancouver police say they don't know why the two schools were targeted.

UPDATE, JUNE 4, 11AM -- XTRA STAFF: Magnotta arrested in Berlin.

UPDATE, JUNE 4 10AM -- XTRA STAFF:
An interesting story about the animal rights activists who trailed Magnotta from 2010.

UPDATE, JUNE 3, 3:32PM -- XTRA STAFF:
Photos on the Interpol website reportedly show Magnotta passing through airport security, presumably on May 26 as he left Montreal.
This photo, reportedly of fugitive Luka Magnotta passing through airport security, likely during his flight from Montreal.
(Interpol)

UPDATE, JUNE 2, 6:32PM -- XTRA STAFF: The man wanted in the killling of Lin Jun was reportedly spotted Thursday, May 31, in a Paris bar.

JUNE 1 - By Justin Ling: “Parasites,” is the word one poster on StormFront, a self-proclaimed “white-nationalist” website, uses to describe non-white inhabitants of ethnically “white” countries.
 
Luka Magnotta posted online photos in 2010 that appear to show him in Moscow's Red Square.
That poster appears to be Luka Magnotta, now wanted by Canadian and international authorities for the brutal killing of a man in Montreal last week.
 
Four posts on the site's forum bill Magnotta as a courageous defender of the white race. The writing style – under the user names reddragon1 and arcangel9 – bears striking resemblance to the writing on Magnottas website. The writer breaks suddenly into capitalization, demonstrates similarly poor grammar, links to Magnotta's website and photographs, and refers repeatedly to the “slander” and “bullying” he faced at the hands of animal rights activists. Magnotta was last in the news in 2010 for posting graphic online video of torturing and killing kittens.
 
One post by reddragon1, dated May 2011, reads "Magnotta has been forced to leave North America and relocate to Russia for his views on White Supremacy." The writer further suggests that the video of two cats being killed was fabricated and tied to him and that “mentally ill ethnic groups sent him death threats” as part of a conspiracy to silence his beliefs. Magnotta was in fact born in Scarborough, Ontario, as Eric Clinton Newman. But in August 2010, Magnotta posted photos on another site, ComeBackAlive, that appear to show him in Moscow’s Red Square.
 
In an eerie allusion to events that would occur a year later – almost to the day – reddragon1, likely Magnotta, writes that the “Chinese [should] get their own countries.” The victim in the gruesome murder and dismemberment video that documents the crime for which Magnotta is wanted by police, is clearly Asian. UPDATE: The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Concordia University student Lin Jun, from mainland China.
 
Another post by reddragon1, also dated May 2011, is a terse reaction to a story entitled Torontos Mayor Slams Gay Israel-Bashers.” The writer rails against Jewish people, writing, among other things, “I wish these Jews should just get lost.”
 
Those first two posts do not link to Magnotta’s website – which wasn’t created until July – but they do make reference to several other sites of his that have since been shut down.
 
The next post, this time by arcangel9, dated September 2011, does include a link to Magnotta’s site. The post, titled Luka Magnotta : Multiculturalism is Dangerous,” includes a manifesto purportedly written by him. It accuses other races of “trying to take over our beautiful countries.” It ends with “Some people fight just to fight – others fight to win,” before listing a series of statistics about the nature of one-parent families.
 
The writer emphatically rejects the use of violence but then descends into an expletive-laced rant seemingly levelled at the detractors Magnotta amassed on the internet.
 
The next post, made minutes later, is in a thread about Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Arcangel9 writes that Mussolini was a “courageous” individual.
 
Earlier this week, Xtra broke the news of Magnotta’s ties to white supremacist groups. Other StormFront forum members have condemned him for the Montreal murder, frequently calling Magnotta afaggot.”
 
 
Magnotta’s web trail changes conspicuously in the later half of 2011. He seemingly went underground, leaving few online footprints in the year leading up to the murder that he allegedly committed in Montreal. The StormFront posts are among the few that refer directly to Magnotta from that time.
 


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Reader Comments


 
Profiling a suspect
I feel it would be better if Xtra interviewed a A FBI profiler or Psychologist so we might understand the mind of a person like Magnotta rather continuously posting speculative tidbits on his past life. Has Xtra resorted to trial by headline. This man is still the accused or have you forgot that, in your quest to make readers believe he is the killer?
Michael F. Pare, Toronto ON
06/01/12 10:15 AM EST
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Ed's note
Michael, I don't think the FBI is relevant in the case for now because there isn't so far an apparent US connection here. We considered contacting a psychologist but discounted the idea for two reasons: there were so many other leads to follow, and any input a psychologist or criminologist who hadn't met Magnotta might add would be only be speculative. As for the notion of making readers believe he's the killer, it's really up to readers to decide what to think.
Matt Mills, Toronto Ont
06/01/12 10:48 AM EST
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I read somewhere that
Luka Magnotta, donned a BURQUA and flew to France with a fake passport. That would make sense.
Chris, Toronto ON
06/01/12 11:35 AM EST
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I read that on the Toronto Sun
website so who knows?
Chris, Toronto ON
06/01/12 12:14 PM EST
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Story has so many holes
I wish Xtra woulld actually do a bit more homework on this story. For one the Mtl police said the torso belonged to a white male. Then we are told by the police that Mr Magnotta was dating the victim. Now we are told by Xtra that the victim is an Asian man. What really doesn't make sense here either is why would a white supremacist which Xtra is alluding that Mr Magnotta is, why would he actually be dating someone from an ethnic group which he supposedly hated? This whole story gets more and more strange. I'm not a conspiracy type but with so many holes in this developing story one is left wondering what the truth really is here. Mr Mills can't you try and clarify some of these issues I've raised.
JamieLee, Vancouver BC
06/01/12 6:25 PM EST
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Xtra is doing OK on this story
JamieLee, I have been a critic of Xtra in the past, but they are doing OK on the story of Luka Magnotta. The Xtra report on the deceased is consistent with stories from mainstream media outlets like the Globe and Mail and the National Post. Furthermore, Xtra has uncovered information that the mainstream media missed, but later reported and attributed to Xtra. There are a lot of conflicting stories coming from various media outlets and even the police. But, that's the nature of an evolving, high-profile criminal investigation. And, I'd rather receive real-time information at this point, rather than delayed perfect information. That will come later in a book.
Brian, Toronto ON
06/01/12 6:56 PM EST
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Stand back everyone
Xtra! is on the case, bwahaha. What happened to the Karla Holmoka angle? That was deleted pretty quick. I'm getting more accurate fact based reporting from encyclopedia dramataica.
ron, Vancouver Bc
06/01/12 8:19 PM EST
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Ed's note
Jamie Lee, it's well-documented and corroborated that the Montreal victim, the Torso in the suitcase, is Lin Jun, a 33-year-old man from China. He's Asian. Lin's Torso was found outside Magnotta's home. There's a video shot in Magnotta's blood-soaked apartment of a hooded figure, who looks like Magnotta, hacking the victim to pieces. Magnotta fled the county the day after the murder and three days before the suitcase was opened. We reported on web forum posts about Magnotta, quite likely written by Magnotta, on a White supremicist website. And as for the relationship between M and Lin, it's not totally clear really. But even if they were dating, this would not be the first case in which one partner killed the other.
Matt Mills, Toronto Ont
06/01/12 8:32 PM EST
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Ed's note
Ron, we haven't deleted anything from our coverage on this story with the single exception of a link to the reported murder video.
Matt Mills, Toronto Ont
06/01/12 8:46 PM EST
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Xtra found Magnotta's alias of reddragon1
Ron, by finding Magnotta's posts on stormfront.org, Xtra discovered something significant. Magnotta's alias on stormfront was reddragon1. Red Dragon is a novel and a movie about an emerging serial killer (it's part of the Hannibal Lector series). Magnotta may identify with the character in the movie. Here's the trailer for the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeOHcM3uxgY&feature=fvwrel
Brian, Toronto ON
06/01/12 8:47 PM EST
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Thank You Matt
Thank you Matt for trying to clarify. I would not view that video b ut will take you on your word that it is real.It still does not make sense though how the police can claim the torso belongs to the missing Asian man after they have said the torso belongs to a white male? And because you are reporting that the accused fled the country is this actually verifiable? Are there plane records verifying this? And where is the missing head of the victim found in the suitcase? Mr Magnotta surely could not have sent that in the mail and certainly nor could he have taken it on a plane. So many unanswered questions remain.
JamieLee, Vancouver BC
06/01/12 9:14 PM EST
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Ed's note
Hi JamieLee. This is grisly, but Lim was murdered on the 24-25th. His torso was discovered on the 29th. It doesn't seem surprising that police were initially unsure of Lim's ethnicity considering the missing parts of his body and the state of decomposition. Montreal police reported at a news conference this morning that Magnotta fled under one of his three identities from Dorval on the 26th. A note accompanied the foot delivered to Conservative Party headquarters on the 29the suggesting there were a total of six packages containing body parts. If police have found more parts or the rest of Lim's body, they haven't said so as far as I know now.
Matt Mills, Toronto Ont
06/01/12 9:26 PM EST
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Thank You Matt
Thank you Matt for clearing that torso issue up. I appreciate that! If the police know Mr Magnotta left on the 26th there must be people who saw Mr Magnotta arrive wherever his destination was. Lots more that hopefully the police can answer to in order to reassure the public.
JamieLee, Vancouver BC
06/01/12 9:47 PM EST
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Homolka angle
Hey folks, I know some people are wondering about the Karla Homolka angle. I dug and I dug and I dug, and the best connection I can get is this - from a few pictures taken around 2010, I *think* we can put Magnotta and Homolka on the same Carribean island at the same time. That's a tenuous link, at best, which is why I didn't report it. The likely explanation is that Magnotta heard a rumour she was on one of these islands, hopped a plane to try and find her, and never did. I sincerely suspect that they ever dated, or even met. Given this guy's self-infatuation, and his obsessive-compulsive need to increase his level of fame, I imagine that if he were actually dating Homolka, he would have taken a picture and posted it endlessly.
Justin Ling, Montreal Quebec
06/03/12 12:54 PM EST
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Luka Magnotta, Name Change Analysis
I wrote an article called "Luka Magnotta, Name Change Analysis" on 2012.6.2. I was unaware of this article linking him to White Supremacy. Check out my article and you will see this link is UNMISTAKABLE regarding his name change choice: http://deadlinelive.info/2012/06/02/exclusive-commentary-luka-magnotta-name-change-analysis/
Joel, Vancouver BC
06/04/12 5:28 PM EST
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must read
new must read book by luka magnotta; "how to completely disappear and never be found for up to a week”.
kv, toronto ontario
06/04/12 8:16 PM EST
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Magnotta or Newman?
I don't understand how he could be a white supremacist if he was a jew! His real name is Eric Newman, Magnotta is one of his alias.
Jennifer, New York NY
06/04/12 8:33 PM EST
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Another masochistic twist in the tale?
Not to even slightly take away from the horror and brutality of what was done but I keep asking, why was a bright Chinese student hanging out with Magnotta when others were reportedly creeped out by him on sight. Was he just niave and closeted. After seeing these photos http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-pictures-lin-juns-online-postings/article4226669/#gallery_1752=0 I think we have a whole other dimension emerging. I have to wonder: masochistic loner drawn to psycho killer? It's all speculation but the one self-portrait picture and the way-too-coincidental comment left on the one subway pic say a lot more. I don't think this was a random pick up. Not that this justifies a murder - if people think they are playing and the other isn't THAT is still evil. Magnotta will probably try to say that Justin agreed to it... :/ And it won't matter...
Stephen E, Burnaby BC
06/04/12 9:51 PM EST
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Globe and Mail spin beat me to it
Well it looks like the Globe and Mail article where I found the pictures beat me to it - at least in the headline. "The Many Sides of Montreal Murder Victim Lin Jun http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/the-many-sides-of-montreal-murder-victim-lin-jun/article4226195/ But as the article went on I am starting to think that not so much a masochist but low self esteem and the vestiges of a closeted lonely life were what were preyed upon here - and if agreeing to get into masochistic play (or what he tragically, mistakenly thought was play) was what he did to find love... doesn't matter...he didn't deserve what happened to him. I HOPE the Globe wasn't suggesting that.
Stephen E, Burnaby BC
06/04/12 10:01 PM EST
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We all make mistakes
Stephen, according to an article I read on the Toronto Sun, the two had been dating but Lin had recently separated from Magnotta. Yes, he may have dated him for a while but the signs that something is wrong with Magnotta types sometimes isn't revealed until later on in a relationship, and even then most people wouldn't assume the person is a psychotic murderer. He started seeing another man then broke up with Magnotta. The Sun reports that it was Lin's new boyfriend who reported him missing. http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/04/luka-magnotta-arrested-in-berlin As for Jin's postings, the Globe and Mail is taking it out of context. A "darker side" they say? Seriously!? Who hasn't posted stupid stuff on the internet before? The Globe should be ashamed of that comment. The only thing we can truly fault Jin with is his decision to meet up with Magnotta again, and perhaps he should have been more careful. If he had simply googled Magnotta's name he probably would have ran and never looked back the first day he met him. I always google the names of new people I've met from the internet.
Joe, Milton Ontario
06/05/12 6:21 AM EST
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makes more sense
Joe - the recent findings add more understanding to the tale. I can imagine how a manipulative psychopath could lure an impressionable young man back to him. The "cannibal express" comment though is pretty coincidental but yes it could be just that. I read though that Lin's employer reported him missing after friends went to that employer looking for him. So I am not sure what the truth is here. (doesn't matter too much). The issue that MAKES ME MAD, if true, is that PETA types in California had this guy made as a cat killer a year before - were concerened that the perp would progress to humans, tracked him down, reported all their findings to the Montreal Police (SPVM) and according to them the SPVM did NOTHING about it! This isn't the first time in recent history that the SPVM did nothing about a killer of gay men. There was a serial killer in the 90s who was never found and the SPVM did little about it.
Stephen E, Burnaby BC
06/05/12 9:11 PM EST
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reddragon1 & arcangel9
i think i just found something... after typing reddragon1 in google check what i found : http://web.mac.com/lisaleiker/9-12LexileLibrary/Crime.html you can see LUCAS = Luka HANNIBAL LECTER: RED DRAGON (#1) = reddragon1 DARK ANGEL = arcangel9 and they're all in the crime category... coincidence ? i dont know...
GARLICjr, Paris France
06/06/12 1:31 PM EST
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thanks for the updates
If you look at all Magnotta posts on yahoo questions (he had several nicknames there Aevian, Andrew, John Smith, Luka Magnotta, some female names etcc) you will find that he usually posted questions about himself and some current headline at that particular moment. For example, when Michael Jackson died Luka claimed he slept with the singer. When Karla Homolka was on the news he connected his name to her. I bet he wrote those posts in the stormfront forum because of that norwegian mass murderer Anders Brevik who posted there and even wrote a manifesto. Also Galliano offended jews and made the news around the world. All Magnotta wanted was to be seen,to be noticed, what was the most recent shocking headlines in the last month? the miami cannibal episode! Magnotta probably thought that he should make something just as shocking to become famous, he clearly enjoyed all negative attention he got from the kitten killing videos, to him it meant people knew he existed. And he posted about the snuff video few days before it was even made and released, before the murder took place to make people interested and pay attention to his 'masterpiece'. I think that is the way he worked and thinks. There was a case here in Brazil quite similar, white blonde ex-prostitute married to a asian rich guy shot her husband and cut his body in several pieces, hid in suitcases and spread the bits throughout the city. She didn't film the murder, didn't have a web trail and the only reason she murdered was because she discovered her husband was cheating on her and woudl'nt give her a divorce, she didn't want him to tell everyone she was once a prostitute it would mean she would lose the custody of their baby daughter. Afraid of losing her baby, she murdered him but had the cold blod of cutting him up so it would make it easier to get rid of the body. IMHO, Magnotta's excuse for the murder was to become famous, I can't think of any other reason, the guy was clearly a vile narcissist. RIP LinJun
lurker, Salvador Brazil
06/14/12 12:50 AM EST
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