Cameron Brodie-Hall: Disturbing discovery inside the home of an alleged neo-Nazi sparks fears about bombings and assassination plots, court hears

A police raid on the home of an alleged neo-Nazi leader uncovered a disturbing book outlining how fascists could foment a Nazi revolution in Australia through assassinations, indiscriminate terror attacks and the killing of ‘soft targets’, has heard by a court.

Detectives raided the home of Cameron Brodie-Hall, the alleged neo-Nazi leader of alleged South Australian fascist cell SA Men’s Health Club, in April 2021 and reportedly found the book in the common area of ​​the house, which Mr. Brodie-Hall shared. two other men.

Standing in the dock at the Adelaide District Court on Tuesday, Mr Brodie-Hall pleaded not guilty to possessing the book, which the prosecution argued could be of practical use to someone planning an act of terrorism.

Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton QC, speaking for Judge Paul Muscat, said the book provides a practical guide for National Socialists, the technical term for Nazis, to pursue “active resistance” in a war for the so-called “Aryan culture’.

The book reportedly recommends four methods of covert direct action, including assassinations, terrorist bombings, sabotage of infrastructure, and terror campaigns targeting “the enemy.”

The court heard that the communal bookshelf contained a number of radical books, including Mein Kampf by dictator Adolf Hitler.

Police video of the cramped three-bed unit played in court showed a large Nazi flag flying over the bookshelf.

Prosecutor Hinton said when police returned to Mr Brodie-Hall’s unit in February 2022, they discovered another book listed as extremist material.

“It promotes or supports acts of terrorism,” Prosecutor Hinton said.

Prosecutor Hinton said the book praised Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist who killed 168 people in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing in the United States, and argued that “revolution” was the only way for the Nazis to come to power.

The court heard that the home’s communal bookshelf contained a number of radical books, including dictator Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, and had a large Nazi flag hanging (photo by Cameron Brodie-Hall).

The court heard Brodie-Hall told police he subscribed to a National Socialist worldview but denied possessing the two books.

Mr Brodie-Hall lived in the house with Jackson Trevor Pay and Duncan Robert Cromb, who have both pleaded guilty to possessing extremist material.

Craig Caldicott, appearing for Mr Brodie-Hall, said there was no dispute about his client’s ideology, but rather the issue of possession of the material, which he said was not found in his client’s bedroom.

Mr Caldicott said his client was unaware the book promoting covert terror tactics was on the bookshelf.

Judge Muscat said the case hinged on whether the prosecution could prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Brodie-Hall possessed the material solely or jointly with Mr Pay and Mr Cromb.

The judge-only trial will continue this week.

Mr Brodie-Hall has been released on bail and declined to comment as he left court on Tuesday.

Mr Brodie-Hall’s court appearance comes amid a growing wave of Nazi rallies in Australia.

On Australia Day, balaclava-wearing men from the National Socialist Network, a Nazi group led by convicted criminal Thomas Sewell, were stopped by police at a North Sydney train station.

Police broke up further meetings of the far-right group in North Turamurra on Saturday evening and in Artarmon on Sunday morning.

A motel in a quiet Adelaide suburb was targeted by neo-Nazis who protested in broad daylight last December. There is no suggestion that Mr Brodie-Hall was among them

State lawmakers across the country are also tightening laws against displaying Nazi symbols and gestures.

South Australian Attorney General Kyam Maher introduced legislation to Parliament in November 2023 to specifically ban the public display of swastikas or the Nazi salute, with fines of up to $20,000 or a year in prison for the offences.

“We have seen an increase in neo-Nazi movement activity across the country, which is completely unacceptable,” Maher said.

“This bill will impose tough new penalties on those who try to promote this abhorrent ideology and give police the powers they need to ensure that banned symbols are quickly removed.”

The new law includes protections for innocent uses of Nazi symbols, including their good faith use in academia, education and the arts.