FBI Chief Admits 'Mistake' With iPhone in Wake of San Bernardino Attack

[Eugene]

Source: ABC News

FBI Chief Admits 'Mistake' With iPhone in Wake of San Bernardino Attack

By MIKE LEVINE JACK DATE
Mar 1, 2016, 2:45 PM ET

The head of the FBI admitted today his agents made a “mistake” after finding an iPhone left behind by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters -- a misstep he acknowledged “made it hard” for investigators to access the information that federal authorities are now seeking in a growing dispute with Apple.

However, speaking to a House panel, FBI Director James Comey said the Justice Department and Apple would still be caught in a tense legal battle because -- even if the FBI hadn’t erred -- there is “no way we would have gotten everything” from the iPhone.

Comey insisted the FBI has an obligation to conduct a complete and “competent” investigation into the attack on Dec. 2, 2015, when Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 of Farook’s coworkers and injured 22 others at a work holiday party.

“If I didn’t do that, I ought to be fired, honestly,” Comey added.

The device at issue was provided to Farook by his employer, the San Bernardino County government. And in the wake of the assault, the FBI asked county officials to remotely reset the password for the Apple iCloud account associated with the device.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-chief-admits-mistake-iphone-wake-san-bernardino/story?id=37314654

[nichomachus]

1. The San Bernardino phone is a red herring

The real issue is that the FBI wants Apple to write code that will give them a back door into every iPhone in the world.

The fact is that the NSA has everything from the San Bernardino phone that the FBI might want. But they won't give it to the FBI. Why doesn't the FBI sue the NSA?

[bemildred]

2. Yes, you should be fired. nt