Public Safety Vic Toews speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on June 4, 2012.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Warning: This story contains graphic details
Canada's Public Safety Minister says the speed with which the man suspected in the brutal murder of a Chinese student in Montreal two weeks ago can be returned from German custody depends largely on the suspect himself.
"Obviously if the extradition hearings are waived, that's a much shorter period of time," Vic Toews told reporters Monday as he entered the House of Commons.
"But, if they are in fact contested, those hearings take quite a bit of time, from my understanding of extradition law," Mr. Toews said. "So we trust that all of the authorities are co-operating, working hard to make that happen. The requests will be made for the extradition."
It will be the federal departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs that will look after the extradition, Mr. Toews added. But "to a large extent, it does depend upon the suspect's position on extradition in terms of the time."
Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, was arrested Monday at an Internet café in Berlin. He had been the subject of an international manhunt since the body parts of Lin Jun, a 33-year-old Chinese national who was studying at Concordia University, were found last week in Montreal and mailed to political parties in Ottawa.
"We are very pleased that there was an arrest in this case in as short a period of time as, in fact, has passed," the Public Safety Minister said, "and we appreciate the work of the police forces in Europe as well as the public that has been very engaged in this particular hunt."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is in London for the Queen's diamond jubilee, also praised the police for the capture of Mr. Magnotta. "I'm obviously pleased that the suspect has been arrested," he said, "and I just want to congratulate the police forces on their good work."
One of Mr. Lin's severed feet was delivered to Conservative Party headquarters and one of his hands was sent to the Liberal Party offices by intercepted police at a mail-sorting facility.
Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae told reporters Monday that it is important to remember that Mr. Lin's family and friends are mourning the death of a young man who was killed under the most terrible of circumstances and that the exploits of the man suspected of killing him should not be given undue attention.
"All of Canada should be in mourning," Mr. Rae said. "We should be continuing to mourn the person who dies rather than in any way shape or form celebrate the notoriety of Mr. Magnotta, which I think would be completely wrong for us to do."
With a report from The Canadian Press in London