An
Egyptian-American man behind an anti-Islam film that has stoked violent
protests across the Muslim world was arrested on Thursday in California for
allegedly violating his probation, and a federal judge ordered him jailed
without bond.
Egyptian-American man behind an anti-Islam film that has stoked violent
protests across the Muslim world was arrested on Thursday in California for
allegedly violating his probation, and a federal judge ordered him jailed
without bond.
Nakoula
Basseley Nakoula, 55, was taken into custody at an undisclosed location by U.S.
marshals and brought to court in Los Angeles still wearing his street clothes
but handcuffed and shackled at the waist.
Basseley Nakoula, 55, was taken into custody at an undisclosed location by U.S.
marshals and brought to court in Los Angeles still wearing his street clothes
but handcuffed and shackled at the waist.
Nakoula
has been under investigation by probation officials looking into whether he
violated the terms of his 2011 release from prison on a bank fraud conviction
while making the film, though authorities have said they were not probing the
movie itself.
“The
court has a lack of trust in the defendant at this time,” U.S. Magistrate Judge
Suzanne Segal said in refusing Nakoula’s request for bail at a hearing in U.S.
District Court.
court has a lack of trust in the defendant at this time,” U.S. Magistrate Judge
Suzanne Segal said in refusing Nakoula’s request for bail at a hearing in U.S.
District Court.
His
crudely made 13-minute video was filmed in California and circulated online
under several titles including “Innocence of Muslims.”
crudely made 13-minute video was filmed in California and circulated online
under several titles including “Innocence of Muslims.”
The
clip sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest in Egypt, Libya and dozens of
other Muslim countries over the past two weeks. The violence coincided with an
attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans,
including the U.S. ambassador to Libya.
clip sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest in Egypt, Libya and dozens of
other Muslim countries over the past two weeks. The violence coincided with an
attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans,
including the U.S. ambassador to Libya.
Nakoula,
under the terms of his release from jail, has been barred from accessing the
Internet or using aliases without the permission of a probation officer, court
records show. He now faces eight probation violation accusations.
under the terms of his release from jail, has been barred from accessing the
Internet or using aliases without the permission of a probation officer, court
records show. He now faces eight probation violation accusations.
In
denying his request for bail, Segal called him a flight risk and said the
Coptic Christian filmmaker who most recently lived in the Los Angeles suburb of
Cerritos had “engaged in a lengthy pattern of deception,” including using
several aliases.
denying his request for bail, Segal called him a flight risk and said the
Coptic Christian filmmaker who most recently lived in the Los Angeles suburb of
Cerritos had “engaged in a lengthy pattern of deception,” including using
several aliases.
Nakoula
has stayed out of the public eye for much of the past two weeks, amid outrage
over the film.
has stayed out of the public eye for much of the past two weeks, amid outrage
over the film.
A
lawyer for Nakoula expressed concern in court on Thursday for his client’s
safety and asked that the hearing be closed to the media.
lawyer for Nakoula expressed concern in court on Thursday for his client’s
safety and asked that the hearing be closed to the media.
Reporters
were not allowed into the hearing but watched from a specially arranged viewing
room a block away, and the judge ordered that a camera filming the proceedings
for closed-circuit viewing not show Nakoula’s face.
were not allowed into the hearing but watched from a specially arranged viewing
room a block away, and the judge ordered that a camera filming the proceedings
for closed-circuit viewing not show Nakoula’s face.
Defence
attorney Steve Seiden, in asking for Nakoula’s release on $10,000 bond, argued
unsuccessfully that he had stayed in touch with probation officials even while
in hiding.
attorney Steve Seiden, in asking for Nakoula’s release on $10,000 bond, argued
unsuccessfully that he had stayed in touch with probation officials even while
in hiding.
“It’s
a danger for him to be in custody at Metropolitan Detention Center due to the
large Muslim population there,” Seiden said, referring to the federal jail in
downtown Los Angeles where Nakoula would likely be housed.
a danger for him to be in custody at Metropolitan Detention Center due to the
large Muslim population there,” Seiden said, referring to the federal jail in
downtown Los Angeles where Nakoula would likely be housed.
But
prosecutors said Nakoula, who could be sent back to prison for up to two years
if he is found to have violated the terms of his release, had been dishonest
with the court, even about his name.
prosecutors said Nakoula, who could be sent back to prison for up to two years
if he is found to have violated the terms of his release, had been dishonest
with the court, even about his name.
“Most
specifically, he did not accurately present himself as who he was to the people
he cast in the film,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale, adding that
in his view, Nakoula would be safer behind bars.
specifically, he did not accurately present himself as who he was to the people
he cast in the film,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale, adding that
in his view, Nakoula would be safer behind bars.
The
probation issues were the latest of Nakoula’s legal woes. On Wednesday, an
actress who says she was duped into appearing in the film sued Nakoula, who she
identified as the producer. Cindy Lee Garcia also named YouTube and its parent
company, Google Inc., as defendants in the case.
probation issues were the latest of Nakoula’s legal woes. On Wednesday, an
actress who says she was duped into appearing in the film sued Nakoula, who she
identified as the producer. Cindy Lee Garcia also named YouTube and its parent
company, Google Inc., as defendants in the case.
