Alleged creator of infamous anti-Muslim film questioned by police in LA

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Published time: September 15, 2012 09:07
Edited time: September 15, 2012 13:36

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (C) is escorted out of his home by Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers in Cerritos, California September 15, 2012 (Reuters / Bret Hartman)

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The filmmaker allegedly responsible for the anti-Muslim film 'Innocence of Muslims,' which sparked anti-US protests around world, was called in by Los Angeles police for questioning, county officials confirmed.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, was taken to a police station in Cerritos, California, where he was interviewed by federal probation officers, LA County Sheriff Department spokesperson Steve Whitmore confirmed.

Media and law enforcement officials staked out a house reportedly owned by Nakoula at the end of a cul-de-sac in the southern California city for around 48 hours, until the man emerged wearing a coat, hat, scarf and glasses.

Nakoula claimed in an interview with the AP that he was not the director of 'Innocence of Muslims,' but a logistics manager for the film. However, Nakoula's Coptic Christian bishop contradicted this account and claimed the man had told him that he was not involved in the film.

"The US probation office in the central district of California is reviewing the case," court spokesperson Karen Redmond told reporters.

Police are investigating Nakoula's alleged involvement in creating the film 'Innocence of Muslims,' and for possible parole violations.

The California probation office is reviewing whether Nakoula, who was convicted on bank fraud charges, violated his parole by uploading the film onto the Internet. His terms of parole required that he seek approval from his probation officer before buying or using Web-capable devices, and that any approved device could only be used for work purposes. He was also restricted from circumventing this rule by enlisting others to access the Internet on his behalf.

The 13-minute video, which portrayed the Prophet Mohammad engaging in a variety of offensive behavior, sparked anti-US anger and protests around the globe, including violent clashes at US embassies and the death of US ambassador to Libya.

Nakoula, known under at least a dozen other aliases including Sam Bacile, the name under which the controversial film was produced, had been previously convicted of crimes including bank fraud and the intention to manufacture methamphetamine.

In 2010, he was found guilty of opening bank accounts using stolen identities and Social Security numbers, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Nakoula was released in June 2011 on the condition of restricted Internet access for five years.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (2nd R) is escorted out of his home by Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers in Cerritos, California September 15, 2012 (Reuters / Bret Hartman)

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (R) is escorted in a Los Angeles County Sheriff's vehicle from his home by officers in Cerritos, California September 15, 2012 (Reuters / Bret Hartman)

Comments (75)

Pakasfand 22.09.2012 13:56

jeff (unregistered) wrote in #5
When are we going to grow a pair and stand up to this people, saick and tired of the doulble standards, Muslims can do what they want and we have to shut up because we have to be tolerent , must not do anyhting to upset them , lets defend our way of life and our people , lets stop fearing this lunatics and give some back.
If your way of life includes mocking your saviour then go ahead,ahh wait you already are this is the main difference between you and me the lifestyle you live contradicts ours but we say go ahead do what you want but let us do what we want.Only people in arabia know how much we tolerate your lifestyle we say do what you want but dont tempt us into doing the samethings that you do and they respect us and we respect them too.By the way,there is no double standard in our religion you are either and muslim or you are not....killing in the name of religion is not prohibited but defending yourself from the enemy is.Killing innocent people is not allowed inislam.

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SALAAR (unregistered) 20.09.2012 13:42

‎"Freedom of speech has limits. There is no such thing as "absolute" freedom of speech, it doesnt exist. If we allow "complete" unrestricted freedom of speech to every erroneous idea, then we will end up with a world in chaos. There are some crazy people in this world. Some want freedom to speak about their tendencies to rape; some wish to express sentiments about having sex with young boys; another bunch wishes to incite hatred against 2 billion people on the face of the earth; a crazy group of neo-atheists wishes to nuke the Muslims etc etc. Should we allow all of these psychos to run our societies under the pretext of upholding freedom. When Brevik, having served 21 years sentence for killing nearly a hundred people, leaves prison in Norway, should we allow him to lecture in universities if he so wishes? A freedon that jeopardizes the course of justice, equality and peace is no freedom at all. Can we allow freedom to restrict freedom? If you say yes, then you contradict yourself and if you say no then we are in agreement. Real freedom is to enslave yourself to the Creator, otherwise we are all slaves to our unrestricted desires and our notion of fake freedom. All the best and kindest"

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PointMan 20.09.2012 10:23

Ridiculous conspiracy theories!
Someone produces a movie trailer (badly, I am told) that is critical of Islam and this is justification for murder?! No justification for their behavior. It is evil.
Americans enjoy what much of the world, especially the Islamic world does not have - freedom. In this case, freedom of speech. People have the freedom to say what they wish and we have the freedom to believe or not to believe what is said. Many half-truths and lies are told (especially by liberal media [documented fact]), but Americans have fought to be free of tyranny that tries to impose another's beliefs on us. We will not be afraid to agree or disagree, to speak or not to speak. Humans in every country have this right and we should respect that right. But when it comes to terror - there is no excuse. It is evil.
Recently, it was reported that an Islamic religious leader caused a mentally handicapped young girl who was a Christian to be accused of "blasphemy" and now it is revealed that he set her up. Even so, this innocent girl has to run for her life. That is evil.
Just reported that a Pakistani shop owner faces blasphemy charges because he allegedly did not participate in protests. How ridiculous! Again, based on evil.
The attacks were clearly planned to coincide with the murder of thousands on 9/11. Epitome of evil.
Now, around the world, people are being manipulated into mobs shouting death to America with no basis of fact, but illogical, hateful hysteria.
Why have these people who hate America never mentioned all of the food, medicine, and sacrifice that America has given?
Has everyone forgotten that it was Saddam who was torturing and murdering his own people as well as gassing the Kurds and leaving mass graves around the country and it was America that liberated Iraq and turned it back over to the Iraqi people? Yet, America is accused of doing this for oil?? Ridiculous! America should get compensated, but instead America pays Iraq for oil.
Too many ridiculous conspiracy theories and to think that many are naive to believe these things!
Having said these things, I wonder how many are so insecure in their beliefs that they would want to hurt or even kill me for simply expressing (as objectively as I can) my beliefs. Hateful acts come from hate-filled hearts.
So much for those who say they want peace.

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