Man Haron Monis' former solicitor has told a coronial inquest he thought the Lindt cafe gunman "wanted to be someone" but didn't consider he was "insane".

On Tuesday Franklin Arguedas said Monis consulted him in 2004 and 2005 over several issues including a dispute with a panel beater, his citizenship application and his belief Customs officials were targeting him.

Mr Arguedas said Monis was using the name Michael Hayson Mavros. Monis said he wanted to keep his identity as secret as possible because "people are after me" and he may be killed.

Monis asked the Burwood solicitor to send a number of letters to Australian Customs and Border Protection alleging he had been "targeted" when re-entering Australia.

Monis claimed he was being selected for security and baggage searches at the behest of ASIO or the Australian Federal Police.

"He said he was being set up or framed by the Australian government," Mr Arguedas said.

Customs officials attempted to reassure Monis he was being randomly searched in the same manner as all other arrivals. He was even given a mini tour of customs areas at Sydney Airport.

But Mr Arguedas said Monis was not satisfied and wrote another letter alleging he suffered "psychological damage" from being harassed and singled out.

He travelled to New Zealand and back on the same day to "bamboozle" customs. He also claimed he was being harrased because of his religious dress as a result of the disparity between sentences handed down in Indonesia to Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby and Bali bombing conspirator Abu Bakar Bashir.

"I told him that idea was a bit far-fetched and that Customs don't have time for such things," Mr Arguedas said.

Bizarrely, on a later trip he was not searched by Customs and asked Mr Arguedas to write a complaint about "lax" security.

Government bureaucrats also made an effort to calm Monis's fears about being seen by certain people by arranging a private citizenship ceremony for him.

At times, Monis told the lawyer he could find him an Iranian wife, he could share in a million dollar ransom being paid by the Israeli government for a wanted person he knew the whereabouts of and asked him to visit his mother in Iran. Mr Arguedas turned down each offer. He also declined to be mentioned on Monis's website, which featured anti-war rants and called on the Australian forces to exit Afghanistan.

"He said if I wanted to become a famous solicitor I should have my name on his website and I'd be in the newspapers everyday," Mr Arguedas said.

Mr Arguedas eventually declined to act for Monis further, despite being owed $1500 in unpaid fees.

He said he was left with the impression Monis "wanted to be someone".

"That he should be treated like the prime minister. That he could come in and out of the country like you come in and out of your own house.

"It never entered my mind that he was insane; just that he was a difficult person."

Earlier, Hassan "Garry" Zoabi told the inquest Monis was polite, courteous and conscientious when he worked as a security guard at a western Sydney shopping centre.

Mr Zoabi, who managed the centre in 1997 and 1998, said Monis "used to ask a lot of questions about Australia".

He was particularly interested in the Australian system of government, such as which department handled what areas.

"I thought it was because he wanted to learn, he was new here," Mr Zoabi said.

"He was always thinking, you could tell he was deep in thought."

Mr Zoabi said Monis would pray at regular intervals during his shifts in a maintence room. As a Lebanese immigrant, Mr Zoabi is Sunni. Monis, an Iranian, was Shiite. However the difference wasn't an issue.

He said Monis spoke excellent classical or Koranic Arabic.

He revealed little about his personal life or background, saying he was married and well connected in Iran and had to leave for political reasons, Mr Zoabi said.

The inquest continues.