A 39-year-old Western Australian man has been charged after allegedly expressing support for the Bondi attackers and possessing firearms and materials potentially linked to bomb-making, a Perth court heard on Wednesday.

Martin Glynn appeared before the court facing charges of racial harassment, possessing a prohibited weapon, and failing to correctly store firearms. Prosecutors told the court that during a raid on his Yangebup home – prompted by a public tip-off regarding his online activity – police discovered flags associated with Hamas and Hezbollah, both organizations proscribed as terrorist groups in Australia.

The court was informed that Mr. Glynn posted on Instagram shortly after the tragic shooting at a Hanukkah event in Bondi Beach on December 14, where two gunmen killed fifteen people. The post reportedly endorsed the attackers’ actions. “A community member saw a post from the man online, recognised it wasn’t right, and reported it to police,” Acting Western Australia Premier Rita Saffioti stated on Christmas Eve.

Authorities allege a search of Mr. Glynn’s residence revealed a notebook containing antisemitic remarks and references to Nazi ideology. Six rifles and approximately 4,000 rounds of ammunition were also seized, according to prosecutors.

Magistrate Benjamin Tyers acknowledged that supporting the Palestinian cause is not inherently illegal, but emphasized, “What is not proper is posting online comments supporting a massacre of innocent civilians,” as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr. Glynn, representing himself in court, claimed he was merely “opinionated” about the conflict in Gaza and intended his Instagram post to “raise the hypocrisy” of the situation. He further stated the seized materials were for fire-starting, as he is a “doomsday prepper,” and insisted, “I don’t intended to harm anyone.”

Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch told the media that the investigation is in its early stages and that there was no prior intelligence suggesting Mr. Glynn posed a threat. “It is early days in our investigation, but there was no previous record of concern for this individual,” he said.

Mr. Glynn, a former mine worker, was denied bail and is scheduled to reappear in court on February 3. His arrest coincides with the passage of stricter gun control laws in New South Wales, enacted in response to the Bondi shootings after a lengthy debate concluding around 03:00 local time on Wednesday.

The new legislation tightens regulations surrounding gun ownership and grants police expanded authority to prohibit public demonstrations. This comes as Australia grapples with the aftermath of the Bondi tragedy and seeks to address concerns about extremism and gun violence.

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