Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, Man Allegedly Behind 'Anti-Islam' Film, Questioned By US Officials

Man Allegedly Behind Incendiary 'Anti-Islam' Film Questioned

The American filmmaker supposedly behind an anti-Islamic film which has caused violent protest and embassy attacks across the Middle East has been taken in for questioning by American federal officers.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, voluntarily left his California home alongside officers and was taken to a nearby police station in the Los Cerritos area for interviewing.

He refused to answer questions about the film and the protests it sparked put to him by waiting journalists.

The man has previously been convicted of financial crimes, including fraud, which saw him forced to pay close to $800,000 in restitution, with two years in prison, and was also banned from using the internet and computers for five years.

Media gather outside what is believed to be the California home of the filmmaker

Nakoula, a Coptic Christian, was allegedly behind the controversial film Innocence of Muslims which, when it appeared on YouTube this week, sparked rioting in Libya, Yemen and Egypt, with the American ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, killed in a rocket attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi.

The film, which was produced in the United States and portrays Muhammad as a fraud, womaniser, homosexual and madman, has caused furious demonstrations worldwide.

As well as protesting outside London embassies on Friday, Australian riot police were forced to clash with 200 protestors outside the American embassy in Sydney on Saturday.

Violent protest has kicked off across the Middle East in response to the film

Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has previously faced calls to be banned, said hundreds of Muslims from across the UK would rally and demonstrate "in solidarity" with others across the world on Saturday.

The group planned to converge outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square at 2.30pm.

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