California man linked to anti-Islam film in custody, court spokesman says

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is escorted in a Los Angeles County Sheriff's vehicle from his home by officers in Cerritos, Calif., on Sept. 15. Photo by REUTERS/Bret Hartman

A California man linked to an anti-Islam film that stoked violent protests across the Muslim world was in custody on Thursday, a court spokesman said ahead of bail hearing in Los Angeles.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, has been under investigation by probation officials looking into whether he violated the terms of his 2011 release from prison on a bank fraud conviction while making the film.

As a condition of his release, he was barred from accessing the Internet or using aliases without the permission of a probation officer, court records show.

Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Writing by Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Paul Thomasch