BREAKING… UPDATE 5:45 PM: U.S. District Court Judge Suzanne Segal has
ruled that the anti-Islam Innocence Of Muslims film producer known as Nakoula Basseley Nakoula will be held in the Metropolitan Detention Center after his arrest earlier today on probation violations. He will remain in the jail until a revocation hearing is scheduled. The judge said she was detaining him because ”the court has a lack of trust in the defendant”. She explained that he has engaged in a lengthy pattern of deception in a variety of situations, and that he poses “a danger to the community”. Nakoula today told the court that his real name is Mark Basseley Youssef. He is being cited on 8 probation violations for which the probation office is recommending 24 months in custody.
His lawyer Steven Seiden argued it would be a danger for Nakoula to be in custody in the Los Angeles County jail because of the large Muslim population there. Asst. U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale said: “I’ve been assured that he’d be protected in custody. It’s likely he’d be safer in custody than out of custody.”
There was little mention of Nakoula’s crude film trailer whose posting on YouTube has sparked rioting, violence, and deaths in 30 countries in the Mideast, Europe, and Asia since 9/11. The prosecutor remarked that Nakoula’s pattern of deception extended to the hiring of the film’s actors. “They had no idea who he really was and no idea that he was a felon, and he parlayed that into the making of the film.” The prosecutor also indicated that Nakoula may have financed the film under deceptive circumstances. “Granted, if you look at the film, it doesn’t look like it cost much money.”
PREVIOUS 3:15 PM, BREAKING… There is a courtroom proceeding this afternoon in the Roybal Federal Building in Downtown LA regarding what the feds are saying is the arrest of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, reputed filmmaker of the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims which has sparked rioting, violence, and deaths in 30 countries in the Mideast, Europe, and Asia since 9/11. An initial appearance in USA v. Nakoula, 09-cr-00617-CAS, has been scheduled on or after 3 PM today. Nakoula was arrested for violating terms of his probation and is set for an initial appearance in U.S. District, which sentenced him in June 2009 following a bank fraud conviction. Federal officials were looking into whether Nakoula violated his probation in that case by uploading the crude film’s 14-minute trailer onto the Internet. He and his family have been in hiding since he was voluntarily interviewed by federal authorities and has since put up for sale his Cerritos home where some of the video was shot.
Nakoula served 21 months in prison on 2009 federal bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges and a $795K fine. He now could face more prison time if it is determined his involvement in the film was a violation of his probation, which barred him from either owning or using devices with access to the Web for five years without prior approval from his probation officer. Earlier, when LA County sheriffs escorted him to a police station for FBI questioning, Nakoula left his family’s Cerritos home with his head wrapped in a towel to hide his identity.
His arrest today is an apparent U.S. attempt to appease worldwide Muslims and their clerics and governments demanding for the YouTube video to be removed and its filmmaker punished. In an address on Tuesday condemning the content of the video, President Obama explained, “The strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech.” This legal action is a way to preserve America’s First Amendment principles but at the same time find a roundabout but legitimate way to punish Bakoula for the crudely made film that portrays the Muhammad as a religious fraud, womanizer and pedophile.
Related: Latest: Actress Refiles ‘Innocence Of Muslims’ Lawsuit In Federal Court
In most federal cases alleging probation violations, the probation officer submits a confidential report to the sentencing judge who has the option of holding a probation revocation hearing. Then the judge can send the defendant to prison or impose additional terms of probation without jail time. But first the probation violation has to be proven, and Steven Seiden is Nakoula’s defense attorney in this matter. Nakoula may argue that he’s being singled out on a probation technicality for exercising his right to free speech.
At first, Innocence Of Muslims was ignored even when trailers were posted on YouTube in July. But then Egyptian television aired certain segments, which sparked protests which intensified with the deaths of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and other U.S. personnel. When news of his movie first broke, the filmmaker identified himself to media as Sam Bacile and made up lies about his identity. But the paperwork filed for the Screen Actors Guild was that of Abenob Nakoula Bassely. A public records search showed an Abanob B. Nakoula residing at the same address as Nakoula. Now the filmmaker is believed to be a Coptic Christian with many aliases. Details about the purported filmmaker have emerged over recent weeks:
– Court records show that Nakoula was once a federal informant. The Smoking Gun obtained a transcript showing attorneys for Nakoula pleaded for “cooperation points” when their client was sentenced in 2010. Lawyers argued cooperation with prosecutors in a separate case should be taken into consideration.
– Family members of Nakoula have left their Cerritos home to join him in hiding. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies escorted members of Nakoula’s family out of the house early Monday and into sheriff’s vehicles so they could rejoin Nakoula at an undisclosed location.
– News reports claim a second filmmaker, Joseph Nassralla Abdelmasih, president of Media for Christ, is an associate of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
– Film LA released the permit (read it here) for the film, which lists Media for Christ as the production company. Names and contact information for the producer, director and other crew members were redacted. The permit covers a one-day shoot at Blue Cloud Ranch in Santa Clarita for the film Desert Warriors, which has since become known as Innocence Of Muslims.
– Nakoula was connected to the persona of Sam Bacile, a federal law enforcement source told the AP. A man calling himself Sam Bacile initially claimed to be the writer and director of the film, but doubts surfaced regarding his identity. He has no credits on any movie industry database and SAG-AFTRA tells Deadline they have no information about the film; the DGA confirms they have no ‘Sam Bacile’ on record. It appears that Bacile is one of many aliases Nakoula used, the AP noted.
– The YouTube profile ‘Sam Bacile’ was used to post clips of the film on July 1 and comments as recently as Tuesday last week. It lists the age of the account holder at 74. Nakoula is believed to be 55.
– Another man, Steve Klein, told CNN he worked with Bacile on the movie vetting the script. Klein is an insurance agent and self-described militant Christian activist who resides in Hemet, CA.
– There are accounts of the film being screened in June under the name Innocence Of Bin Laden. According to Klein, Nakoula wanted to give it a title that would draw in and then trick “hardcore Muslims” into watching a movie that slammed Islam. But according to Klein, no tickets were sold and Nakoula was “crushed,” the AP said. Klein told The Times “felt great” about consulting on the film.
– CNN received a statement from the 80 or so people in front of and behind the cameras denouncing the film they say they worked on without knowing it was propaganda.


It seems pretty likely the guy violated his probation, but it’s incredibly disturbing that we know that because the feds thought it was their job to investigate a non-threatening youtube video.
The update to the article implies that the defense is going to pursue this angle, as well they should. If he’d uploaded a funny cat video, would the Feds be after him for it? Just how closely do probation officers usually monitor the internet use of people who are prohibited from using it by the terms of their probation? The defense should find some cases where these sorts of violations were ignored or never noticed amd build a case that the real issue is, indeed, free speech.
…this smells like appeasement to me…BIGTIME.
Despicable. They’ve given in to a murderous mob, using a supposed probation violation as cover.
As unsavory as this guy’s character is given his past, I do feel like he’s being trotted out to appease the radical muslims. The film is laughable if you’ve watched it. I’m sure youtube and the internet at large has examples of worse anti-muslim clips/rants. It’s clear Egyptian state-controlled tv ran this to stir up the pot. Why? Oh maybe it’s because of their crap economy. This film was out in July with little fanfare. We should be coming down harder on Egypt’s govt.
Nakoula Matata is the king of idiots, and needs to take responsibility for his act that cost 4 peoples to lose their lives!
What mosque do you go to? You clearly are not an ‘Free Speech’ loving American. You’re remark is beyond stupid.
Think about what you’re saying. This guy, who I’ll stipulate is a tool, made a VIDEO. A fraekin’ video. And the result? Some people who apparently barely have one foot out of the cave, decide to burn their cities to the ground and murder innocent passers by.
And from THEIR behavior, you think this guy has some culpability? Really?
I thought this was an entertainment blog? Of any newsy website out there, shouldn’t the people who frequent this on, put the primacy of the First Amendment above all else?
If someone had decided to off a bunch of people because Marty Scorsese made “The Last Temptation of Christ”, do you think Scorsese should (or would) bear any culpability?
First I must say I agree with everyone who is disturbed or outraged by what can definitely be seen as a prosecution motivated by the reaction to someone exercising their free speech.
Still, this is a bit more complex than that. If Scorsese was a convicted felon and in violation of parole and called attention to himself by releasing a controversial film that lead to mass rioting and deaths, he very well might have been arrested for those parole violations.
ok, so you’d punish Polanski if The Pianist had inflamed Germans to riot in protest over having their past exploited?? I know that was VERY unlikely, but the likelihood is irrelevant
It was a planned terrorist attack. Nothing to do with a video.
Many more Americans have died since then.
I agree with you completely! Who pokes a stick at a cobra and doesn’t expect it to strike? I’m a firm believer that if you feel so strongly about an issue you should stand up for it and defend what you believe in. If he supports and believes in the film he made I don’t understand why he has been in hiding? Makes me think of men that feel others should suffer or die but don’t do so with their own hands, rather a gun, from a distance or in a car, and then deny what they’ve done when they have to answer for their actions and then claim to be a “man”. A man or perhaps a “pussy”? They’re all pathetic. I’ve had my own issues with the law, but have never tried to hide or deny my actions. I do take responsibility for my actions and stand up for what I believe in. What could have possibly been the motive for any of his actions that are now very public? I surely take my family and children into consideration before I take any actions that could possibly remove me from them. What a foolish individual. I wonder how many people thus far have been affected by his actions. By the way, I’ve never heard any of other religions trashing Jesus Christ or Buddah. Was any of this really necessary? He should answer for his actions by violating his probation and should also answer to those that are angered by his film.
Well then using that analogy, I guess all of the executives at Warner Brothers should be sitting in jail for making “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises”…
Good point.
Sounds good. When can we arrest the rest of Hollywood.
I really want some of the actors to go to jail too. I am sure they have violated their “parole” too, so we can hold them without bail….forever!
Wait so we’re still talking about the absolutely insanely ridiculous notion that this YouTube video had anything to do with the attacks that happened on the anniversary of another terrorist attack? Really?
YES. A RED HERRING, A SCAPEGOAT, AN ACT OF APPEASING THE SAVAGES, ATTACK ON ONE’S FREEDOM OF SPEECH. WAS HE IN A MOVIE THEATRE SCREAMING FIRE? LETS BLAME THE VICTIMS OF ISLAMIC HATRED. THE USA IT ONCE WAS, IS NOW DEAD. I AM NO LONGER PROUD OF THIS COUNTRY.
Internet access was the reason???? Let’s call it what it is, the excuse. This is a clear violation of the First Amendment, please spare me the spin. it is too ridiculous to pretend I am listening to it. I live in New Jersy so I guess I will place my First Amendment rights on the shelf next to my Second Amendment rights. I am sure the Founding Fathers and natural law never meant freedom of yucky speech just the good kind!!!!
So if the judge said he couldn’t access the internet and he did anyway that’s OK to you??
yes it’s ok…it’s internet access…it’s a technicality put in place to stop him from committing the same crimes he did in the past, identity theft etc…he did not use the internet for those purposes…hell he may not have even used the internet at all…very easy to give a thumb drive to a friend and say “upload this to youtube for me”
So you’re for some laws but not for others? I get it.
Get your facts straight. It was a planned terrorist attack. It had nothing to do with a video.
@MK : Incorrect. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/panetta-says-undetermined-terrorist-group-carried-out-attack-on-us-consulate-in-libya/2012/09/27/8d5b500e-08e0-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_print.html That’s the ‘official’ statement. However if you have been following things, you’de have known about 3 days later that it wasn’t ‘spontaneous’ at all.
@ the Author : I’ve never been here before tonight so I don’t know if you are being sarcastic in this sentence or not. “This legal action is a way to preserve America’s First Amendment principles but at the same time find a roundabout but legitimate way to punish Bakoula for the crudely made film that portrays the Muhammad as a religious fraud, womanizer and pedophile.” Because his arrest is in no way parallel to the spirit or the letter of the 1st Amendment.
This is perhaps the most dangerous abridgment of individual liberties I’ve witnessed in the area of free speech. It’s outrageous. The entire creative community should be up in arms when the Government first pressures industry to censor your work, and then targets you for special treatment, and imprisonment, to appease your critics. Where is the outrage?!?!
ah, now we see the [tyranny] inherent in the system!
Interesting probation condition.
Is he permitted to work at all? How about cashing his welfare check? Exchanging his food stamps for edibles and beer? Buying a lottery ticket or crack. Is On-Line banking permitted at all? Guess not.
Clearly what we have here is a disgusting person who disgustingly violates all our laws. There is only one question here: Will The US extradite this disgusting criminal to Egypt to face his accusers?
This case is on the fast track to the United States Supreme Court and if they have any integrity left at all they will rule that the Feds violated his First Amendment right under the guise of a parole violation. Whoever Nakoula’s lawyer is has already realized how valuable this case it. That lawyer now has a first class ticket to the major leagues. Nakoula will be sent back to prison for probation violation and this will eventually make it to the Supremes.
Feds lucked out that the guy is a criminal. Just think if he was a completely law-abiding guy with a video about Islam and Mohammad.
Not bloody likely. There are so many obscure and vague laws on the books that everyone is guilty of something.
If you get on their radar, they can find a reason to arrest you.
Lies lies and more lies…………….
When is the entire film going to be released?
This filmmakers arrest by the feds on Probation violations is a technicality to appeased the Islamic mob!
In his book “Audacity of Hope” Obama writes: “I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.” The quote comes from page 261 of the paperback edition of “The Audacity of Hope.
Freedom or Obamanation? You can’t have both!
If he violated parole prior to the arrest you can’t possibly prove that the arrest wasn’t for violating parole. The operative question is : why didn’t the feds know that he violated parole? Or did they?
After apologizing for free speech at the U.N. and blaming the Libyan terrorist attack on this mans film, President Obama sends his goons in to finish the job! Parole violation my a*s!
What they really meant to say is”CIA asset/patsy taken so he won’t spill the beans”
why did the feds wait so long before arresting him? you mean to tell me it took this long to arrest him only after Sept 11th?
I’d like too bring up another person who paid the ultimate price for making his film about Islamic abuse & oppression of women: the Dutch artist, Theo van Gogh. A jihadist murdered him on the street as he rode his bicycle to work. It should be remembered that the Oscars shockingly failed to mention him as part of the “In Memoriam” segment that year. A film maker who died for freedom of expression and used film as his medium didn’t get a single mention. (His partner on the film, Ms. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, was forced to leave her home and her position in the Dutch Parliament to seek asylum in America and still lives under a fatwa).
Personally, I think that Christian Extremism is going out of control since 9/11. This perhaps is the biggest damage that 9/11 did to US, – it unleashed extremist nuts who are destroying American democracy from within.
Instead of jailing Nakoula, US government should investigate Media for Christ and other radical Christian and KKK-sympathizing organizations that are trying to fulfill their WW3 rapture prophesy.
Funny how quickly these cases get to court while crooked politicians get their trials put off for years. Why isn’t Eric Holder being tried for the murder of Brian Terry?
If it was only a “parole violation”W thn hy was he arrested by the feds? And why is it USA vs Nakoula? If this isn’t obvious, I don’t know what is.