MONTREAL — Luka Rocco Magnotta, the international fugitive accused of a grisly Montreal murder-dismemberment that saw body parts mailed to political parties, has been captured in Berlin, six days after a manhunt for him began.

Berlin police descended on an Internet cafe in the Neukoelln area of the German capital and arrested Magnotta, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Concordia graduate student Jun Lin.

Stefan Redlich, chief inspector of the Berlin police, said the force received a call from a person who recognized Magnotta.

"There was no resistance," he said. "Not against seven police officers."

Redlich said Magnotta will remain in custody overnight and appear before a judge Tuesday.

"A lot of legal questions will have to be answered before he's sent anywhere," he said. "We only had the arrest warrant so won't be investigating the case."

The German federal police force has been notified and they in turn notified Canadian authorities, Redlich said.

Redlich said he wasn't sure if the officers who arrested Magnotta knew he was a wanted man before punching his name into the computer.

"It has been in the news here, but probably not as much as in Canada and the United States," he said.

According to Der Spiegel, a respected German publication, when asked if he was being sought, Magnotta replied, "Yes, I am."

Reached by telephone, Magnotta's mother declined to comment on the arrest.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in London for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, briefly spoke about the development Monday.

"I'm obviously pleased that the suspect has been arrested and I just want to congratulate the police forces on their good work," said Harper.

Magnotta, 29, is believed to have flown from Montreal directly to Paris the day after the death of Lin, a Chinese national, whose killing was allegedly recorded and posted online.

Lin's torso was discovered in a suitcase by the trash outside Magnotta's Snowdon apartment on May 29. On the same day, his foot were discovered to have been sent to the federal Conservative party in Ottawa through Canada Post. His hand, which was addressed to the federal Liberal party, was intercepted.

The victim had been "in a relationship" with Magnotta, a former porn-film actor, according to Montreal police.

Montreal police reported last week that Lin's slaying took place on May 24 or May 25, and that Magnotta flew to Europe on May 26. Police did not specify which country, for fear it would cause authorities to focus on one region, when it was known Magnotta was an experienced traveller who had posted Internet entries coaching people on how to disappear from view.

Interpol, the international police organization, issued an international wanted persons alert for Magnotta's capture and posted his picture on the front page of its website.

For someone who appeared to consider himself a master of disguise, Magnotta seems to have left many clues as to his whereabouts during his brief flight.

Photos were posted internationally over the weekend of Magnotta passing through a Trudeau airport checkout in Montreal, wearing a dark wig and a Mickey Mouse T-shirt.

Surveillance at airports and train stations in France was multiplied to try to ensure that Magnotta, who grew up in the Toronto area as Eric Clinton Newman and who has gone by the alias Vladimir Romanov, did not elude the dragnet.

France's Le Figaro newspaper, which quoted police as saying officers were "terrified" of Magnotta, reported that he spent two nights last week at the Studio Batignolles, a cheap hotel in Paris's affluent 17th arrondissement. Curtains were drawn at the nearby bar Le Petit Batignolles, but the manager had earlier been quoted as saying Magnotta had drunk a Coca-Cola just before 3 a.m. Friday, and that police had taken away an empty bottle he may have used and were studying security videos.

Officials had also seized pornographic magazines and an Air Canada "vomit bag" from the room where he had stayed.

The French press reported that "this profoundly disturbed man" and "habitual liar" had also spent several nights in the 12th arrondissement, a more rundown part of the City of Love best known as the home of the Bastille.

French police were tipped off to Magnotta's presence by an Internet acquaintance with whom he was said to have spent a night in the suburb of Clichy after arriving in Paris from Canada. Police apparently traced his movements by when and where he used his mobile phone.

Magnotta, who lived in Paris in 2010 but does not speak French well, was reportedly sighted in the presence of a large man the French media have dubbed "le Colosse." It was said they tried to "pick up" two men.

It was also reported that Magnotta was a "kleptomaniac" and he had already been seen shoplifting from two French stores. Police in Paris were particularly worried about locating him because they believed he was a master of disguise who might dress as a woman.

Postmedia News/Montreal Gazette