Accused terrorist 'not some psychopathic murderer'

These words were found in Simon William Fleming's manifesto outlining why he grabbed some firearms and a mock bomb before shooting at passing cars and taking two hostages in a dive shop on the NSW south coast.

Believing migrants were treated more favourably than white Australians and that conservative Christian values were being undermined by "left-wing Marxist hysteria," he prayed to his ancestors and prepared the assault.

On the outskirts of Wollongong on the morning of Sunday November 28, 2021 Fleming then fired his "warning shot" to the government.

In his manifesto, he decried that perceived Muslim values such as child brides led to the grooming of 10,000 underage children in the United Kingdom but that the left still encouraged 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."

Fleming, 41, is on trial in the NSW Supreme Court with crown prosecutors alleging his actions were an act of terrorism to intimidate the public and government.

In his manifesto, the accused terrorist railed against the Chinese, saying they had overtaken Australia and were influencing government policy through universities and colleges.

"We are in a totalitarian technocracy at full speed, a cashless China-style social credit system which is evil and undemocratic," he wrote.

In a recorded police interview the day of his arrest, the Windang man said he had run out of oxycodone and valium, and decided to leave with his tactical gear and rifles instead of suffering through withdrawals at home.

"I don't remember anything after that until youse (sic) had me on the concrete," he told police.

He said he only intended on shooting out the tyres of cars before placing the fake bomb on top of a sign which read "Australia for a republic".

Killing wasn't in his nature, he told police.

"I would never. I'm a Christian. I could never kill another person."

He said what happened that day was a "good thing" because no one had been hurt or killed.

Fleming said he had a passion for collecting military memorabilia, such as old rifles and had $100,000 worth of German gear, including a Nazi flag.

He admitted he had a Swastika tattoo, but also pointed out tattoos of the USSR's hammer and sickle and the Star of David.

"I've got lots of tattoos. None of them mean anything. I've got a clown tattoo. Doesn't mean I'm part of a circus," he told police.

A flurry of triple-zero calls made by those in the area showed confusion and terror as Fleming walked down the road dressed in black wearing a balaclava, firing his rifle at cars and in the air.

"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 seven firearms owned by Fleming, including a bolt-action Mauser rifle and a number of gel blaster replicas.

His mock explosive device consisted of a silver briefcase containing an egg timer, batteries, electronic circuitry, vials of red liquid and a plastic bag filled with screws.

Fleming is contesting the charge that he was motivated by terrorism, as well as charges for using a firearm in a manner likely to endanger members of the public, detaining the hostages, using a fake bomb to create a false sense of danger and unlawfully possessing gel blasters found at his home.

The trial with Justice Helen Wilson continues on Friday.

Australian Associated Press