The mystery surrounding the man behind the anti-Islamic video that sparked violence in the Middle East took a strange turn after he appeared in court and gave yet another name in a string of aliases.
Arrested on Thursday after authorities said he violated his probation from a 2010 check fraud conviction, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula disclosed his real name is Mark Basseley Youseff.
He said he’d been using that name since 2002, even though he went by Nakoula in his fraud case.
The full story about Nakoula and the video “Innocence of Muslims” still isn’t known more than two weeks after violence erupted in Egypt and Libya. Violence related to the film has since spread, killing dozens across the world.
Citing a lengthy pattern of deception and the potential to flee, U.S. Central District Chief Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal ordered Nakoula to remain in prison without bond until another judge can hold a hearing to determine if he broke the terms of his probation.
“The court has a lack of trust in this defendant at this time,” Judge Segal said.
Prosecutors noted that Nakoula had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and using aliases. He could face new charges that carry a maximum two-year prison term.
After his 2010 conviction, Nakoula was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer, though prosecutors said none of the violations involved the Internet. He also wasn’t supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.
However, three names, have been associated with Nakoula in just one month.
Enraged Muslims across the world have demanded punishment for Nakoula, and a Pakistani cabinet minister has offered a $100,000 bounty to anyone who kills him.
The full story about Nakoula and the video “Innocence of Muslims” still isn’t known more than two weeks after violence erupted in Egypt and Libya. Violence related to the film has since spread, killing dozens across the world.
Citing a lengthy pattern of deception and the potential to flee, U.S. Central District Chief Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal ordered Nakoula to remain in prison without bond until another judge can hold a hearing to determine if he broke the terms of his probation.
“The court has a lack of trust in this defendant at this time,” Judge Segal said.
Prosecutors noted that Nakoula had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and using aliases. He could face new charges that carry a maximum two-year prison term.
After his 2010 conviction, Nakoula was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer, though prosecutors said none of the violations involved the Internet. He also wasn’t supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.
However, three names, have been associated with Nakoula in just one month.
Enraged Muslims across the world have demanded punishment for Nakoula, and a Pakistani cabinet minister has offered a $100,000 bounty to anyone who kills him.
