Simon Fleming: Alleged Windang terrorist set for Supreme Court trial

The alleged terrorist who police say fired a rifle multiple times down a busy suburban street in the Illawarra, triggering hours of panic among pedestrians and shop owners, will stand trial in the Supreme Court.

The Illawarra man facing an Australian-first terrorism charge has been committed for trial in the NSW Supreme Court.

Simon Fleming is accused of triggering hours of panic in the small suburb of Windang in late November 2021.

The 41-year-old allegedly fired a rifle multiple times down the main road in broad daylight before barricading himself inside the Windang Dive Shop where he took two people, owner Keith Woods and his employee Neil Hay, hostage.

Mr Wood and Mr Hay were eventually released safely and without injury while officers connected to the Lake Illawarra Command, together with the tactical squad, police negotiators and dog unit, established a perimeter.

Following negotiations, Fleming surrendered to police and was taken into custody.

In Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, it was confirmed Fleming would stand trial for the charge of committing a terrorist act after he was the first person to be hit with the charge who was not motivated by religion.

In addition to the terrorism charge, Fleming will also stand trial for three counts of possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm, three counts of firing a firearm in a manner likely to injure a person or property, two counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol, take or detain a person with the intent to obtain advantage and leave or send a substance to create a false belief of danger.

The gunman walking through Windang in November, 2021.

A further four charges of firing a firearm at a dwelling with a disregard for safety, firing a firearm in a manner likely to injure person or property, take or detain a person with the intent to obtain advantage and use an unregistered prohibited firearm were withdrawn.

Fleming will appear in the Supreme Court in November where a date will be set for the trial.

Speaking earlier this year, Sydney Police Centre NSW Police Force Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton alleged Fleming demonstrated “nationalist and racist extremist ideologies” which, he said, was linked to the main terrorism threats Australia was currently facing.

The gunman arrested in Windang in November 2021.

“Whilst it’s fine for people to have their own views, our concern is over people who consume those ideologies over the internet … the greater that consumption is, the greater the threat they’ll commit acts of violence.

“We will allege after an examination of material [in Fleming’s residence] showed a pathway to this ideology. It’s influenced by what’s picked up and consumed on the internet. Unfortunately, the internet is a driver of disharmony in the community.

“Documents that have been created by him, we will allege, were connected to the act that occurred in Windang and others that didn’t translate to real life … the material was clearly identified as being white supremacist.”

Fleming will also return to Wollongong Local Court next week regarding a charge of possessing child abuse material which police allegedly seized after a search of his Windang abode.

According to police, they uncovered 1634 child sex abuse images and two child sex abuse videos, one of which depicts Fleming masturbating over a laptop displaying several child sex abuse images.

Originally published as Simon Fleming: Alleged Windang terrorist set for Supreme Court trial