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The man behind an anti-Muslim film that led to violence in the Middle East has been sentenced to one year in prison.Mark Basseley Youssef, 55, was sentenced on Wednesday for violating probation stemming from a 2010 bank fraud conviction.
US District Court Judge Christina Snyder handed down the sentence after Youssef admitted four of eight alleged violations including obtaining a fraudulent California driver’s licence.
Youssef served most of a 21-month prison term in the bank fraud case. Federal authorities wanted Youssef to serve two years for the violations.
After he was released from prison, Youssef was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer.
None of the violations had to do with the content of “Innocence of Muslims,” a film that depicts Mohammad as a religious fraud, pedophile and a womaniser.
The movie sparked violence in Libya and other parts of the Middle East, killing dozens. Enraged Muslims had demanded severe punishment for him, with a Pakistani cabinet minister even offering $100,000 to anyone who kills him.
Federal authorities have said they believe Youssef is responsible for the film, but they have not said whether he was the person who posted it online.
He also was not supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.
At least three names have been associated with Youssef since the film trailer surfaced – Sam Bacile, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula and Youssef. Bacile was the name attached to the YouTube account that posted the video.
Court documents show Youssef legally changed his name from Nakoula in 2002, though when he was tried, he identified himself as Nakoula. He wanted the name change because he believed Nakoula sounded like a girl’s name, according to court documents.
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