WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US government is sticking to its position in demanding that the technology giant Apple agrees to help the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unlock the iPhone of slain Islamist terrorist Syed Farook, the Department of Justice filed in a new response motion in a California court.
"Apple deliberately raised technological barriers that now stand between a lawful warrant and an iPhone containing evidence related to the terrorist mass murder of 14 Americans," the response motion on Thursday stated." Apple alone can remove those barriers so that the FBI can search the phone."
The Justice Department filed its response motion to Apple in a 43-page brief to the US District Court for the Central District of California.
Farook and his wife killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California on December 2, 2015, but were also killed in a shootout with police.
US federal judge Sheri Pym ordered Apple to cooperate with authorities on February 16, but the company has appealed against her decision. Pym ruled that Apple had to create new software to bypass a security function on the iPhone.
Privacy advocates have warned compliance with the ruling would threaten privacy and data security for all iPhone users as the new technique could be repeatedly used in other circumstances.
Apple is due to file its response to today’s motion on March 15, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 22.