A court has ordered Apple, Inc. to assist in searching San Bernardino Islamic terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Apple continues to fight the ruling.
The motion filed in this case stated that not only does Apple have the “exclusive technical means” to assist the government in completing a search of the phone, but that Apple has “declined to provide that assistance voluntarily.”
Authorities seized the iPhone 5C while executing a search warrant of a Black Lexus in relation to the December 2 Islamic terror attacks in San Bernardino, California.
Eileen M. Decker with the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California released the following statement in response to the order:
Since the terrorist attack in San Bernardino on December 2, 2015, that took the lives of 14 innocent Americans and shattered the lives of numerous families, my office and our law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to exhaust every investigative lead in the case. We have made a solemn commitment to the victims and their families that we will leave no stone unturned as we gather as much information and evidence as possible. These victims and families deserve nothing less. The application filed today in federal court is another step – a potentially important step – in the process of learning everything we possibly can about the attack in San Bernardino.
Farook and K-1 visa bride Tashfeen Malik attacked Farook’s coworkers at a Christmas party on Dec. 2 that left 14 dead and at least 22 injured.
Farook and Malik were killed in a shootout with police hours after their deadly attack on the Inland Regional Center. The two allegedly received two weapons used in the IRC attack from Muslim convert Enrique Marquez. Marquez now faces charges for being a straw purchaser of the weapons, and for plans made with Farook several years earlier to carry out maximum casualty terror attacks in the Riverside City College cafeteria and on the 91 freeway.
Photo: file
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