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Federal government simply can’t find way into building
By Jake Wray, Columnist
The Apple vs. FBI showdown has entered a new round after 250 heavily-armed FBI agents stormed Apple’s Cupertino campus on Monday.
One day prior, lawyers with the U.S. Justice Department successfully argued in court that Apple needed to open its doors to agents who required assistance with counter-terrorism cases, but Apple refused the court order and had employees lock all of the doors on campus. The FBI sent an armed response team to the campus, but they have thus far been unable to open any doors.
While the hundreds of agents milled about on Apple’s lawn scratching their heads, FBI Director James Comey told the Other Press it is imperative to national security that agents enter the campus.
“We don’t know what exactly we will find, but we need to have the authority to go in and take a look around,” said Comey. “Every day that Apple holds out, American lives are directly at risk. If they don’t want us coming in the front doors, why don’t they let us sneak in a backdoor?”
The Justice Department also released a statement condemning Apple’s actions.
“It is unfortunate that Apple continues to resist the department in obtaining access to the facilities of the company. A company that designed and sold the phone of one of the terrorists involved in a major attack on U.S. soil,” the statement reads.
Apple CEO Tim Cook released a scathing letter on Apple’s website condemning the actions of the Justice Department and the FBI.
“While we believe the FBI’s intentions are good, it would be wrong for the government to force us to open a backdoor into our campus. And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect,” wrote Cook. “Additionally, we fail to see the relevance of this search. There are a dozen other ways the FBI could build cases against terrorism suspects—it’s convenient they chose a method that also violates the personal security of millions of people across the globe.”
Presidential candidate Donald Trump offered his opinion in a rambling nine-minute voicemail left on the Other Press’ office line at 2 a.m.
“Who do they think they are?” asked Trump, in reference to Apple. “What they are doing is weak and un-American. When I am president, I will build a wall around the campus to keep America safe from those privacy loving pinkos at Apple.”
At press time, FBI engineers were huddled around the backdoor of Apple’s campus attempting to pick the lock with Q-Tips.
