An alleged right-wing terrorist accused of a firing shots in Windang penned a manifesto where he claimed "I am not some psychopathic murderer who kills for thrills," a court has heard.
Details of Simon William Fleming's manifesto were laid bare in a NSW Supreme Court trial, where he has pleaded not guilty to committing a terrorist act in the Illawarra suburb on November 28, 2021 - which the Crown alleges was motivated by right-wing ideology.
In the written and signed manifesto, he believed migrants were treated more favourably than white Australians and that conservative Christian values were being undermined by "left-wing Marxist hysteria".
In Windang, on the morning in question, Fleming then allegedly fired his "warning shot" to the government.
The court heard his beliefs on Muslim values, such as how "child brides" led to the grooming of 10,000 underage children in the United Kingdom, but that the left still encouraged open borders and immigration under the guise of "political correctness".
"If a Christian man even looks at a girl 15 or 16, he's a paedophile but in (the Muslim's) bible they can marry children, have multiple wives and rape the infidel," he wrote.
"Should I now f--- my sister and call it holy? Well that's the logic of the left."
The court heard earlier this week that Fleming left his home at Windang dressed in black and carrying two guns - a rifle and a gel blaster - as well as a fake bomb in a silver briefcase.
Prosecutors allege he fired several bullets into the air on Windang Rd, one that shot through a roof almost 3km away, as well as towards passing vehicles.
He also allegedly took two people hostage in the Windang Dive & Spearfishing shop before letting them go and surrendering to police following a tense hour-long stand-off.
No one was harmed during the ordeal.
Justice Helen Wilson told the jury she expected they would be asked to decide whether Mr Fleming was impaired by mental illness at the time of the alleged offending, and this impacted his understanding of the events.
The court heard Fleming was referred to a psychiatrist in almost 20 years ago and was prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
On Thursday, the jury also heard several witness statements and triple-0 calls made by those in the area, revealing the confusion and shock Fleming caused as he walked down Windang Rd, firing shots.
"At that time, I have never been more scared in my life. I believed he was shooting people dead," one witness told police.
Jurors were also shown firearms found on Fleming when he was arrested in the dive shop, including a bolt-action rifle and a number of gel blasters.
His mock explosive device consisted of a silver briefcase containing an egg timer, a number of batteries, electronic circuitry, vials of red liquid and a clear plastic bag filled with screws.
The jury was also shown a recorded interview at Lake Illawarra police station following Fleming's arrest, where he told detectives he "wasn't trying to hurt anybody".
"I was just trying to get people's attention," he said.
Fleming also told detectives he was withdrawing from Oxycontin and Valium, and that he couldn't pick up his next prescription until the next day.
"(The medication) doesn't even work anymore," he laughed. "Opium withdrawal is torture".
Fleming said his original plan was to place a sign he painted on the road, emboldened with text 'Australia For a Republic', before placing the briefcase on top of it.
He then planned to shoot twice into the air before putting his hands on the ground. It was something he had been planning for two years, he told police.
"But it got really bad really quick," Fleming said.
Fleming is contesting the charge that his actions were motivated by terrorism. The trial, held in Sydney, continues.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
- With AAP.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
