WASHINGTON, March 22 (UPI) — The highly-anticipated hearing between Apple and the Justice Department scheduled for Tuesday has now been postponed because the DOJ said Monday it might have found its own way into the San Bernardino terrorist’s phone.
Judge Sheri Pym agreed to the DOJ’s request after the department said it might have found another way to unlock the iPhone 5C of the San Beranardino shooter Syed Farook, instead of attempting to force Apple to create a way to unlock the phone.
“On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible method for unlocking Farook’s iPhone,” the DOJ official request reads, “If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc.”
Federal investigators have been trying to unlock the phone since the December attack to see if the phone reveals other valuable information about the attack, including if Farook and wife were working with others.
But Apple has resisted FBI requests to create a way to unlock its iPhone, saying it would only undermine their business and be an invitation to government spying.
The issue only became more contentious after Judge Pym ordered Apple to comply to the government’s request, and were due to have their latest battle on Tuesday.
Melanie Newman, a justice department spokeswoman, said the Justice Department is “cautiously optimistic” they will be able to open the phone and will notify the Judge Pym by April 5.
“If this solution works, it will allow us to search the phone and continue our investigation into the terrorist attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 people,” Newman said in a statement.
Neither Apple nor The White House, made any comment about the new development.WASHINGTON, March 21 (UPI) — The highly-anticipated hearing between Apple and the Justice Department scheduled for Tuesday has now been postponed because the DOJ said Monday it might have found its own way into the San Bernardino terrorist’s phone.
Judge Sheri Pym agreed to the DOJ’s request after the department said it might have found another way to unlock the iPhone 5C of the San Beranardino shooter Syed Farook, instead of attempting to force Apple to create a way to unlock the phone.
“On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible method for unlocking Farook’s iPhone,” the DOJ official request reads, “If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc.”
Federal investigators have been trying to unlock the phone since the December attack to see if the phone reveals other valuable information about the attack, including if Farook and wife were working with others.
But Apple has resisted FBI requests to create a way to unlock its iPhone, saying it would only undermine their business and be an invitation to government spying.
The issue only became more contentious after Judge Pym ordered Apple to comply to the government’s request, and were due to have their latest battle on Tuesday.
Melanie Newman, a justice department spokeswoman, said the Justice Department is “cautiously optimistic” they will be able to open the phone and will notify the Judge Pym by April 5.
“If this solution works, it will allow us to search the phone and continue our investigation into the terrorist attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 people,” Newman said in a statement.
Neither Apple nor The White House, made any comment about the new development.
