Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is Sam Bacile: Claims Role in Movie, Innocence of Muslims, That Sparked Deadly Libyan Consulate Attack

A man claiming to be the manager of a production group behind the film which sparked riots in Libya might actually be the director, the Associated Press reports. A man named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula admitted involvement and told reporters he knows the filmmaker, Sam Bacile. Bacile spoke to the press earlier today and claimed to be an Israeli Jew, but Bacile’s cellphone number traced back to Nakoula’s house and so far, there is no evidence of Bacile’s existence. Research by the AP found Nakoula has a long criminal history and a history of using the ‘Bacile’ persona. The film’s actors issued a statement on Wednesday saying they were taken advantage of and mislead about the film’s intentions

UPDATE 2

The cast and crew of the Innocence of Muslims say they were “misled” by the producer. A statement released on behalf of the 80 cast and crew members said, “The entire cast and crew are extremely upset and feel taken advantage of by the producer. We are 100% not behind this film and were grossly misled about its intent and purpose.” They added that they were shocked by “drastic rewrites” and “lies.” Anonymous U.S. officials have said that the attack was probably preplanned and not prompted by the film. They believe the attackers used the protests as a diversion.

UPDATE : From the Associated Press: 

"Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, told The Associated Press in an interview outside Los Angeles that he was manager for the company that produced "Innocence of Muslims," which mocked Muslims and the prophet Muhammad and may have caused inflamed mobs that attacked U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya. He provided the first details about a shadowy production group behind the film.

"Nakoula denied he directed the film and said he knew the self-described filmmaker, Sam Bacile. But the cellphone number that AP contacted Tuesday to reach the filmmaker who identified himself as Sam Bacile traced to the same address near Los Angeles where AP found Nakoula. Federal court papers said Nakoula's aliases included Nicola Bacily, Erwin Salameh and others.

"Nakoula told the AP that he was a Coptic Christian and said the film's director supported the concerns of Christian Copts about their treatment by Muslims.

Nakoula denied he had posed as Bacile. During a conversation outside his home, he offered his driver's license to show his identity but kept his thumb over his middle name, Basseley. Records checks by the AP subsequently found it and other connections to the Bacile persona."

UPDATE 3

The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three State Dept. officials were killed Tuesday by a rocket attack in protest of an American movie that depicts Muhammed calling for massacres. Watch a trailer for the controversial film, 'The Innocence of Muslims.'