The FBI has officially requested help from Apple to unlock two iPhones that allegedly belonged to Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, NBC News reported on Tuesday. The Saudi soldier is suspected of having killed three people during a shootout last December at the Pensacola military base in Florida.
The suspect died during the attack. This is considered a potential terrorist act by the American agency.
Securely locked iPhones
As part of the investigation, US services said it had obtained permission to search the contents of the suspect's iPhones. But so far, investigators have failed to unlock smartphones, the precise model of which has not been mentioned.
This Monday, the FBI therefore sent a letter to Apple to seek its help. Aid that is not mandatory, specifies the Presse-Citron website.
Apple boot in touch
"We have the utmost respect for law enforcement and have always worked cooperatively to assist their investigations," Apple said in a statement. "When the FBI asked us about this matter a month ago, we gave them all the data we had and we will continue to back them up with what we have," added the brand to the apple.
It has the ability to access data stored in the cloud. However, she cannot (and does not want to) unlock iPhone remotely. In this press release, the manufacturer therefore seems to indicate that it has done its utmost to help the FBI.
A “San Bernardino” bis repetita?
This case is reminiscent of the controversy of the shooting of San Bernardino (California), which occurred in late 2015. Solicited by the FBI in the same case, Apple had already refused to unlock the phone of the main suspect, claiming protection personal data of its users, reports Presse-Citron .
The U.S. agency ultimately managed to gain access to the suspect's iPhone content using a third-party company, the name of which was never released.
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