Probe into online material linked to mass slayings

CHARLESTON: US Federal agents are investigating a website containing new images of Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Roof. It also includes a racist manifesto that may shed light on his actions.

The images show Roof posing with weapons, in front of Confederate civil war sites and former slave plantations, as well as burning the US flag.

A total of 60 images and a 2 000-word document that outlines an extremist, racist world view, along with “an explanation” about “Charleston”, were found on the internet and posted on various social media sites, including the Reddit forum. The web domain, Last Rhodesian, was reportedly registered in February under the name Dylann Roof.

The document states: “The event that truly awakened me was the Trayvon Martin case. I kept hearing and seeing his name, and eventually I decided to look him up. I read the Wikipedia article and right away I was unable to understand what the big deal was.”

Referring to the black Florida teenager who was shot dead by a white neighbour, George Zimmerman, it adds: “It was obvious that Zimmerman was in the right.”

Large swathes of the document refer to black, Hispanic and Jewish people, sometimes in racist terms. At times it appears rambling, but in other instances focused.

The document signs off by outlining what some believe is Roof ’s call to arms.

“We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well, someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.”

The Charleston County Sheriff ’s Office and the FBI did not immediately respond to calls about the online material.

An unnamed official was quoted as saying that the FBI was working to try to authenticate it.

On Friday, Roof was brought to a judge’s office and put on a video link with relatives of the nine victims in the shooting. Addressing Roof, the relatives expressed forgiveness, hoping for “mercy” on his soul.