Anti-Islam film's director arrested in Los Angeles

Washington, Sept 28: The

-American director of the anti-Islam film that triggered widespread protests was yesterday detained in Los Angeles for violating probation conditions.

Since Nakoula Basseley Nakoula had committed cheque fraud, he was handed a 21-month prison term in 2010. Nakoula was directed to not use computers or the Internet for 60 months without permission.

However, federal prosecutors found that the 55-year-old Coptic Christian had lied to his probation officers and used aliases. Assistant US Attorney Robert Dugdale described Nakoula as a flight risk and pointed out a "lengthy pattern of deception".

Dugdale stressed that the accused "... has every incentive to disappear". After US Central District Chief Magistrate Suzanne Segal ordered Nakoula's detention, handcuffs were put on him in the court.

Nakoula is suspected to have posted a 13-minute trailer of 'Innocence of Muslims' to YouTube in Jul, but it was only two months later that the Middle East first witnessed violent agitations against the 'blasphemous' film.

Some of the actors who appeared in 'Innocence of Muslims' have complained that they were misled during its making. Their contention is that they portrayed characters which were supposed to be part of another film 'Desert Warrior'.

Actress Cindy Lee Garcia was among those who averred that the controversial references to Prophet Muhammed were dubbed in later. Claiming that her copyright has been infringed, she even filed lawsuits against YouTube, Google Inc and Nakoula.

It is noteworthy that YouTube has ignored a specific directive from the White House to take down the offensive trailer.

OneIndia News