An obscure Californian Coptic Christian under the pseudonym Sam Bacile produced a low-budget film called 'Innocence of Muslims' that was released earlier in 2012. Because the film satirizes the Muslim prophet Mohammed and his devoted followers, Muslim communities worldwide became angry and protested in front of American embassies and consulates in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and Sudan. There were also protests in France and Belgium.
Some of these protests involved the burning of American flags and the brandishing of signs displaying Osama bin Laden's face. In Benghazi, Libya, American ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed during an armed attack along with 3 other American representatives at an interim post on September 11, 2012. The attack marked the 11th anniversary of 911.
The identity of the filmmaker remains unknown. The people involved in the attacks and protests are most likely Salafists, a radical branch of Islam.