Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, alleged ‘Innocence of Muslims’ filmmaker, is arrested

GlobalPost

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the man thought responsible for anti-Islam footage that sparked days of rioting throughout the Muslim world earlier this month, was arrested late Thursday on charges of violating parole terms tied to a separate 2010 fraud case, reported the Los Angeles Times

Nakoula was found guilty of fraud in a 2010 case and released in 2011 on probation terms that restricted, among other things, his use of the Internet, said the LA Times. However, his association with the anti-Islam footage released on YouTube prompted authorities to investigate whether or not he broke the rules of his parole. 

More from GlobalPost: Muslim nations push for international blasphemy law

US Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal found Nakoula a flight risk and ordered him held without the possibility of bail, said Reuters

"The court has a lack of trust in the defendant at this time," Segal stated, denying Nakoula's bail request at a US District Court, reported Reuters

Prosecutors are charging the 55-year-old Egyptian-American with violating eight terms of his parole, reported The Wall Street Journal

The footage for which Nakoula is thought responsible, a 14-minute trailer for a supposedly forthcoming film titled "Innocence of Muslims," a clip recently subtitled in Arabic, openly mocks Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

Those involved with the film claim to have been conned into it, and Nakoula — a Coptic Christian — is suspected of operating under the false name Sam Bacile. 

However, Nakoula's full involvement with the film is unclear and the case remains murky.

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.