Dylann Roof Pics And Racist Manifesto Emerge

Photographs have emerged showing the suspected Charleston church shooter burning the Stars and Stripes, posing with weapons and holding a confederate flag.

The pictures were unearthed amid the discovery of a racist manifesto, which appears to have been written by Dylann Roof, on a website.

In the four-page document, the author suggests he had "no choice" but to act on his concerns about ethnic groups in the US.

"I chose Charleston because it is the most historic city in my state, and at one time, had the highest ratio of blacks to whites in the country," he wrote.

"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 confederate flag, which has its roots in the 19th century, is widely regarded as a potent symbol for racism, and was often seen in southern states where slavery was practised.

It was the flag taken into battle by the seven Confederate States during the Civil war.

The flag still flies near the South Carolina Capitol, and was moved 15 years ago to a 30ft flagpole outside the Statehouse.

In light of the Charleston shooting, President Obama has said he believes it now belongs in a museum – a sentiment echoed by one-time Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

He tweeted: "Take down the #ConfederateFlag at the SC Capitol. To many, it is a symbol of racial hatred. Remove it now to honor #Charleston victims."

The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the shootings took place, was due to open as normal on Sunday.

According to Dylann Roof's friends, he had drunkenly claimed he was "going to hurt a bunch of people" at a college in Charleston seven days before allegedly opening fire in a church and killing nine black worshippers.

Christon Scriven, a black friend of the 21-year-old, said he was so concerned by the outburst that he hid Roof's .45-caliber handgun in the air-conditioning vent of a mobile home.

Roof was given back his weapon days before the fatal shooting, after a girl living in the trailer said she wanted it out of the house.

"I think he couldn't get into the school because of the security … so I think he just settled for the church," Mr Scriven told reporters.

In a vivid account, the 22-year-old described Roof as an extremely unhappy person, someone who drank heavily and flitted between the homes of his divorced parents because he felt unloved.

Several acquaintances have also painted a picture of Roof as a confused and troubled young person – as although he partied with black friends on a regular basis, he would also rant about African-Americans to his white friends.

"I don't think his parents liked his decisions, the choices that he made to have black friends," Mr Scriven added.

Roof's friends are now struggling with the knowledge that it may have been possible to prevent the mass shooting at the church.

Joey Meek, who had recently reconnected with Roof after getting to know him in high school, earlier said the alleged attacker feared "blacks were taking over the country", and regularly talked about segregation.

"Whenever he said he wanted to do something crazy, I just blew it off and didn't pay attention because he was intoxicated," Mr Meek added.

On Friday, Roof appeared in court via video link, handcuffed and dressed in a jail jumpsuit. He spoke only to answer questions – stating his age and that he was unemployed.

During the hearing, relatives of those killed in the Charleston church shooting addressed him directly – making tearful statements.

One woman who lost her mother in the attack said she forgave Roof, while another grieving relative said "every fibre in my body hurts, and I'll never be the same".

Roof is charged with nine counts of murder and possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting spree at the black church in Charleston, where all of the victims were African-American. He remains in custody.

Authorities, who are already investigating the shooting as a hate crime, said they are now probing it also as a possible "act of domestic terrorism".

A survivor of the attack said when the gunman was asked to stop shooting, he replied: "I have to do it. You rape our women and you are taking over the country. And you have to go."

The governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, believes Roof should get the death penalty.