FOR hours he stood chained outside a Sydney courthouse, waving an Australian flag and preaching his own kind of peace.
But self-styled Sheik Haron remains an accused man, charged with sending offensive mail to families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Seizing upon the media attention at his first court appearance yesterday, Sheik Haron - who is named in court papers as Man Haron Monis - gave a virtual sermon outside the Downing Centre Local Court where he bizarrely made a plea to The Wiggles to help convey his message.
"The Wiggles love kids much more than some politicians," he said. "I want to ask The Wiggles to make a special show for Iraqi, Afghani and Australian kids that have lost their parents in war."
He asked The Wiggles to adapt their song Bear's Now Asleep to include Dad And Mum Now Asleep - for the children of war who "cannot see their parents".
Monis is charged with sending the offensive letters to the families of two soldiers who died in Afghanistan, and a letter to the family of a trade official who died in this year's Jakarta bombing.
The sheik's lawyer Chris Murphy told the court his client had been "preaching peace" and was "without a single blur" on his character.
Mr Murphy said the letters did not contain threats, adding: "He is a peace activist, I used to be one during Vietnam." Monis, 45, of Campsie, is charged with sending offensive material on November 27 and December 12, 2007, and on March 22, 2008, to the family of Private Luke Worsley who died in Afghanistan on November 23, 2007. He is also accused of sending such material on May 4, 6 and 7, 2008 to the family of soldier Jason Marks, who died in Afghanistan that month.
His seventh charge relates to sending a letter on July 27 this year to the family of recently killed Australian trade official Craig Senger.
His case was adjourned until January, and his reporting condition varied to just once a week after he surrendered his passport to authorities.
Outside court, Monis spoke in Arabic and English but refused to apologise for his letter-writing campaign.
He referred to a comment reportedly made by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that he could not "stomach" the allegations against Monis.
"I ask Mr Kevin Rudd, did your stomach turn when you read the news about killing innocent Afghan civilians?" he said.
