Former Catholic friar Duncan Robert Cromb is SA neo-nazi co-leader who was in possession of terrorist book, court told

A lapsed Catholic friar and his fellow neo-nazi leaders were in possession of a book that has inspired bombings and terrorist acts around the world, a court has heard.

A book in the possession of the state’s alleged neo-nazi leaders – one of whom is a lapsed Catholic friar – has inspired fatal acts of terrorism around the world, a court has heard.

On Monday, former novice Capuchin friar Duncan Robert Cromb faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with multiple terrorism offences.

Prosecutors allege he, Cameron Brodie-Hall and Jackson Trevor Pay turned their share-house into the central headquarters for South Australia’s far-right extremists.

They further allege the group subscribed to, and owned a copy of, the works of infamous US domestic terrorist and white supremacist David Eden Lane.

Duncan Robert Cromb, pictured unblurred at the 2008 North American-Pacific Capuchin Conference, is a former Franciscan friar charged with being one of the leaders of SA's neo-nazi group.

Jackson Trevor Pay, left, and Cameron Brodie-Hall, right, in a photo from the SA Men’s Health Club Facebook page.

Lane’s racist, conspiracy-minded writings inspired both the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the 2019 Christchurch mosque mass shooting.

Prosecutors allege Mr Cromb, Mr Brodie-Hall and Mr Pay kept a printed copy of Lane’s work on a bookshelf behind a Nazi flag.

They further allege Mr Pay carried a digital copy with him on his phone.

Mr Cromb, 37, of Modbury, has yet to plead to multiple counts of possessing a document or record of information to commit a terrorist act.

He, Mr Brodie-Hall and Mr Pay were arrested at their share-house during anti-extremism police raids around the state in April 2021.

Prosecutors allege the trio are the leaders of the SA Men’s Health Club, which they further allege is a front for the state’s neo-nazi extremists.

The group, they allege, has ties to the National Socialist Network and the European Australian Movement, and is accused of attempting to disrupt the Survival Day rally on January 26.

Mr Brodie-Hall is an apprentice plumber. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Pay told the court he is now homeless after his grandmother evicted him from her property. Picture: NCA NewsWire

On Monday, prosecutors asked the court to postpone the case against Mr Cromb until later this month.

They said they intended to file a new paperwork with the court that would jointly charge all three of the alleged leaders with the same sets of offending.

Magistrate Briony Kennewell remanded Mr Cromb in custody.

In 2008, Mr Cromb was one of three Australians in the “novice-elect class” that attended the North American-Pacific Capuchin Conference.

The conference is a central, annual meeting place for followers of the faith from “English and French-speaking North America, Guam, and Australia”.

On Monday, Capuchin Mission provincial leader Father Gerard O’Dempsey said Mr Cromb “left our order in April 2012”.

“At the time, he said he no longer had an interest in religious life,” he said.

“We have not had further contact with him following his departure and are unaware of his activities since then.”

Originally published as Former Catholic friar Duncan Robert Cromb is SA neo-nazi co-leader who was in possession of terrorist book, court told