- A self-confessed cannibal on trial for murder in Germany
was in contact with more than 200 willing victims over the Internet, a
court has heard.
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- Detective Wolfgang Buch said 204 people had contacted
defendant Armin Meiwes before he finally chose, killed and ate Bernd-Juergen
Brandes.
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- Meiwes, a 42-year-old computer technician, has admitted
killing and eating Brandes, 43, in March 2001 but denies murder.
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- Detective Wolfgang Buch told the court in Kassel that
some of the people who sent Meiwes e-mails "just wanted to be tortured"
but most had "offered themselves as victims for slaughter".
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- Det Buch said Meiwes appeared to have done little else
with his free time in the last four to five years other than fantasize
about consuming another man's flesh.
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- He had acted out injuries and abuse on puppets and dolls
made of marzipan, the court heard.
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- "I could never have considered possible what I experienced
here," said Det Buch, a police officer of 20 years.
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- Det Buch said he was often unable to eat after reviewing
files on Meiwes.
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- Beyond the 204 potential victims, the court heard Meiwes
had contact with 13 Internet users who wanted to watch a man's killing
and consumption.
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- Det Buch said 29 people said they had committed similar
acts or were interested in doing so.
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- Prosecutors are pressing for a guilty verdict for murder
which carries a minimum 15-year life sentence. Cannibalism itself is not
a crime in Germany.
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- Defence lawyers say Meiwes is guilty at worst of "killing
on demand," punishable by up to five years in prison.
- Last Updated: 16:13 UK, Friday January 16, 2004
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