Cannibal had 200+ 'applicants'

2004-01-16 15:19

Kassel, Germany - Self-confessed gay cannibal Armin Meiwes had more than 200 "applicants" expressing wishes for him to slaughter and devour them, a court in Germany heard on Friday.

Taking the witness stand in the precedent-setting murder case in Kassel, Hesse state police inspector Wolfgang Buch said Meiwes's computer files showed he had received internet offers from 204 men in Germany, Britain and elsewhere.

Meiwes has admitted killing and partially eating one Berlin man he met via the internet, but has steadfastly insisted he killed no one else.

However, Buch told the court it is entirely possible that others may also have been his victims, despite the fact that investigators have unearthed no physical evidence that more than one person was killed.

"It is at this point in time impossible to say whether others among these 204 persons might also have been homicide victims," Buch told the court.

In other testimony, the father of the sole known victim testified before the court on Friday that his son had displayed no suicidal tendencies prior to his disappearance in March 2001.

Because Germany has no law against cannibalism, Meiwes is charged with murder "for sexual satisfaction" and "disturbing the peace of the dead" in the death of Brandes.

His defence is pressing for a lesser charge of "killing on demand" which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence and is normally applied in cases of "mercy killing". Meiwes contends his victim had wanted to be killed and was aware of his fate.

But Brandes's father, taking the witness stand on Friday, said his won had never shown any signs of depression.

That supported earlier testimony by Brandes's last male lover as saying Brandes was cheerful and showed no signs of depression ahead of his fateful encounter with Meiwes on March 8, 2001.

"Bernd-Juergen had absolutely no suicidal thoughts and had no crises or major problems of any kind," testified the witness, who added that he and Brandes were making plans for their summer holidays when he suddenly vanished in March.

Meiwes was tracked down and arrested in December 2002 after police became aware of an advertisement he had placed on the internet looking for volunteers willing to be killed and eaten.

Thousands of pornographic pictures depicting acts of violence and torture were also found at the house near the town of Rotenburg, south of Kassel.

The trial continues. Sentencing is expected on January 30. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA