FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. FBI Director James Comey walking into hearing room

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we also all very much treasure."

3. Cutaway of hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

++SOUNDBITE INCLUDES CUTAWAYS++

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device. And that's what you see happening in San Bernardino. The San Bernardino case is about that case. It obviously highlights the broader issue and of course it will be looked upon by other judges and other litigants, but it is about the case."

5. Cutaway of hearing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view. The companies care about public safety. The FBI cares about innovation and privacy. We devote our lives to trying to stop people from stealing our innovation, our secrets, and hacking into our devices. We care about the same things, which should make this in a way an easier conversation."

7. Cutaway of hearing

8. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try and distinguish it."

9. Cutaway of hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."

11. Cutaway of hearing

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049739

FBI Director James Comey likened impenetrable digital encryption to a "vicious guard dog" Tuesday, as a high-stakes fight between privacy and national security moved from the courts to Congress.

"There's already a door on that iPhone. We're asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock," Comey said before the House Judiciary Committee.

Tuesday's hearing comes amid two significant — and conflicting — court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

The hearing, which was also to feature Apple's top lawyer, is providing an extraordinary public forum for the Justice Department and Apple Inc. to stake out competing positions. The company's recent opposition has brought a long-simmering debate over digital privacy rights and national security to the mainstream.

A judge in California two weeks ago directed Apple to help the FBI hack into a locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen responsible for the San Bernardino, California attacks that killed 14 people. But on Monday, a judge in Brooklyn said the Obama administration couldn't force Apple to help it gain access to the phone.

Comey acknowledged Tuesday that either decision could set a precedent for other courts.

The California case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector. He and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people during a Dec. 2 attack that was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police.

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Thank you for hosting this conversation and for helping us all talk about an issue that I believe is the hardest issue I've confronted in government, which is how to balance the privacy we so treasure, that comes to us through the technology that we love. And also achieve public safety which we all very much treasure."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Two terrorists in the name of ISIL killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office gathering, and left behind three phones - two of which, the cheaper models, they smashed beyond use, and the third was left locked. In any investigation that's done competently, the FBI would try to get access to that phone. It's important that it's a live ongoing terrorism investigation, but in any criminal investigation, a competent investigator would try and use all lawful tools to get access to that device."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There are no demons in this debate. The companies are not evil. The government is not evil. You have a whole lot of good people who see the world through different lenses, who care about things - all care about the same things in my view."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"Sure potentially, because any decision of a court about a matter is potentially useful to other courts, which is what a precedent is. I happen to think, having talked to experts, there are technical limitations to how useful this particular San Bernardino technique will be, given how the phones have changed. But sure, other courts, other prosecutors, other lawyers for companies, will look to that for guidance or to try to distinguish it."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, FBI Director:

"There's already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we're asking Apple - take the vicious guard dog away. Let us try and pick the lock."

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049757

Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell says Apple has no sympathy for terrorists and the "utmost respect" for law enforcement and their work.

But he says the FBI, in seeking access to a phone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, is asking a judge to "give them something we don't have" and to create an operating system that does not exist.

He maintained that the government is "asking for a backdoor" that would allow the FBI to break into every iPhone and weaken security for all of them.

The hearing comes amid two significant and conflicting court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

Sewell says the U.S. government has spent millions on supporting strong encryption used by activists and journalists, many in countries with fewer free-speech rights.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus049757

Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell says Apple has no sympathy for terrorists and the "utmost respect" for law enforcement and their work.

But he says the FBI, in seeking access to a phone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, is asking a judge to "give them something we don't have" and to create an operating system that does not exist.

He maintained that the government is "asking for a backdoor" that would allow the FBI to break into every iPhone and weaken security for all of them.

The hearing comes amid two significant and conflicting court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

Sewell says the U.S. government has spent millions on supporting strong encryption used by activists and journalists, many in countries with fewer free-speech rights.

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

+++SOTS SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Sewell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel Apple, Inc.:

"The FBI has asked a Court to order us to give them something we don't have. To create an operating system that does not exist — because it would be too dangerous. They are asking for a backdoor into the iPhone — specifically to build a software tool that can break the encryption system which protects personal information on every iPhone. As we have told them — and as we have told the American public — building that software tool would not affect just one iPhone. It would weaken the security for all of them. In fact, just last week Director Comey agreed that the FBI would likely use this precedent in other cases involving other phones."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Sewell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel Apple, Inc.:

"The FBI is asking Apple to weaken the security of our products. Hackers and cyber criminals could use this to wreak havoc on our privacy and personal safety. It would set a dangerous precedent for government intrusion on the privacy and safety of its citizens. Hundreds of millions of law-abiding people trust Apple's products with the most intimate details of their daily lives – photos, private conversations, health data, financial accounts, and information about the user's location as well as the location of their friends and families."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Landau, Professor:

"Now the FBI already has some excellent people and expertise, but FBI investment capacities is not at the scale and level necessary. Rather than asking industry to weaken protections, law enforcement must instead develop the capabilities for conducting sophisticated investigations themselves."

Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell says Apple has no sympathy for terrorists and the "utmost respect" for law enforcement and their work.

But he says the FBI, in seeking access to a phone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, is asking a judge to "give them something we don't have" and to create an operating system that does not exist.

He maintained that the government is "asking for a backdoor" that would allow the FBI to break into every iPhone and weaken security for all of them.

The hearing comes amid two significant and conflicting court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

Sewell says the U.S. government has spent millions on supporting strong encryption used by activists and journalists, many in countries with fewer free-speech rights.

Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell says Apple has no sympathy for terrorists and the "utmost respect" for law enforcement and their work.

But he says the FBI, in seeking access to a phone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, is asking a judge to "give them something we don't have" and to create an operating system that does not exist.

He maintained that the government is "asking for a backdoor" that would allow the FBI to break into every iPhone and weaken security for all of them.

The hearing comes amid two significant and conflicting court rulings in New York and California on whether Apple can be forced to help the FBI gain access to locked phones.

Sewell says the U.S. government has spent millions on supporting strong encryption used by activists and journalists, many in countries with fewer free-speech rights.

POOL

Washington - 1 March 2016

1. Wide of hearing

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Sewell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel Apple, Inc.:

"The FBI has asked a Court to order us to give them something we don't have. To create an operating system that does not exist — because it would be too dangerous. They are asking for a backdoor into the iPhone — specifically to build a software tool that can break the encryption system which protects personal information on every iPhone. As we have told them — and as we have told the American public — building that software tool would not affect just one iPhone. It would weaken the security for all of them. In fact, just last week Director Comey agreed that the FBI would likely use this precedent in other cases involving other phones."

3. Cutaway during hearing

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Sewell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel Apple, Inc.:

"The FBI is asking Apple to weaken the security of our products. Hackers and cyber criminals could use this to wreak havoc on our privacy and personal safety. It would set a dangerous precedent for government intrusion on the privacy and safety of its citizens. Hundreds of millions of law-abiding people trust Apple's products with the most intimate details of their daily lives – photos, private conversations, health data, financial accounts, and information about the user's location as well as the location of their friends and families."

5. Wide of hearing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Landau, Professor:

"What we're going to do is decrease our security. That's the security risk that's coming from this request. I get that law enforcement wants data protection that allows them access under legal authorization but an NSA colleague once remarked to me that while his agency had the right to break into certain systems, no one ever guaranteed that that right would be easy to do so. The problem is, when you build a way in, for someone who isn't the owner to get at the data, well you've built a way in for somebody else to get in as well."

7. Cut to Congressmen

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Landau, Professor:

"Now the FBI already has some excellent people and expertise, but FBI investment capacities is not at the scale and level necessary. Rather than asking industry to weaken protections, law enforcement must instead develop the capabilities for conducting sophisticated investigations themselves."

9. Cut during hearing

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Cyrus R. Vance Jr., District Attorney:

"We believe this line being drawn between public safety and privacy is extremely important. It's affecting our lives, it's affecting our constituents' lives and we believe that you should be drawing it and we ask you to address this problem quickly."

11. Pan of hearing

A handful of Apple's supporters protested the FBI's demands on Tuesday evening outside Apple's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Around ten protesters carrying signs came out to express their concerns over privacy.

The case has sparked a national debate over digital privacy rights and national security interests. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym ordered Apple last week to assist investigators by creating specialized software that would let the FBI rapidly test random passcode combinations to try to unlock the iPhone and view data stored on it.

The county-issued iPhone 5C was used by Syed Farook, who with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people at an office holiday party in December before they died in a gun battle with police. The government said they had been at least partly inspired by the Islamic State.

The couple physically destroyed two personal phones so completely that the FBI has been unable to recover information from them.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook has said that creating such software is a dangerous precedent that would threaten data security for millions by making essentially a master key that could later be duplicated and used against other phones.

A handful of Apple's supporters protested the FBI's demands on Tuesday evening outside Apple's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Around ten protesters carrying signs came out to express their concerns over privacy.

The case has sparked a national debate over digital privacy rights and national security interests. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym ordered Apple last week to assist investigators by creating specialized software that would let the FBI rapidly test random passcode combinations to try to unlock the iPhone and view data stored on it.

The county-issued iPhone 5C was used by Syed Farook, who with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people at an office holiday party in December before they died in a gun battle with police. The government said they had been at least partly inspired by the Islamic State.

The couple physically destroyed two personal phones so completely that the FBI has been unable to recover information from them.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook has said that creating such software is a dangerous precedent that would threaten data security for millions by making essentially a master key that could later be duplicated and used against other phones.

AP TELEVISION

New York - 23 February 2016

1. Wide pan small group of protestors in front of Apple store

2. Tight protest signage

3. Mid pan small group of protestors

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Justine Vasquez, protester:

"We're just out here to support Apple. We want to show Apple we're supportive of not giving our data, and giving it away to the FBI."

5. Zoom in protest signage

6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Ferguson, protester:

"I'm worried about my privacy, I'm worried about the consequences because once you open the door like this, all future phones might be a weakened in a much similar way. The thing is in the past we've learned that every time the government tries tapping into phones it always gets abused every single time. I'm very worried about this."

7. Mid Apple store

8. Tight Apple signage

9. SOUNDBITE (English) James Ferguson, protester:

"I'm definitely in support of the families and I understand, I want the bad guys caught just as badly as they do, more so. I'm just concerned this is not the right way to do it. The way that this would go about doing it would actually harm America far more. There has to be another way of investigating that can reveal what they need."

10. Wide tilt down protestors in front of Apple store

Apple stockholders have given the company's CEO a standing ovation at his first stockholder's meeting since the company began its clash with the FBI.

Tim Cook defended the company's refusal to help the FBI hack into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters saying, "These are the right things to do."

Yesterday, Apple formally challenged a court order that it help the FBI unlock the encrypted iPhone.

Federal officials have said they're only asking for narrow assistance to bypass some of the security features of the phone.

But Apple says the order would force it to write a software program that would make other iPhones vulnerable to hacking by authorities or criminals in the future.

Major tech companies are also rallying to Apple's cause, and now plan a joint "friend of the court" brief on its behalf.

Facebook says it will join with Google, Twitter and Microsoft on a joint court filing.

Apple stockholders have given the company's CEO a standing ovation at his first stockholder's meeting since the company began its clash with the FBI.

Tim Cook defended the company's refusal to help the FBI hack into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters saying, "These are the right things to do."

Yesterday, Apple formally challenged a court order that it help the FBI unlock the encrypted iPhone.

Federal officials have said they're only asking for narrow assistance to bypass some of the security features of the phone.

But Apple says the order would force it to write a software program that would make other iPhones vulnerable to hacking by authorities or criminals in the future.

Major tech companies are also rallying to Apple's cause, and now plan a joint "friend of the court" brief on its behalf.

Facebook says it will join with Google, Twitter and Microsoft on a joint court filing.

AP TELEVISION

Cupertino, California - 26 February 2016

1. Shareholders walk out of Apple HQ after annual meeting

2. Apple logo by door

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Brandon Bailey, AP Technology Business Reporter:

"Most of this meeting was really a business meeting for Apple shareholders. But Apple did get some strong words of support from the Electronic Frontier Foundation which is a civil liberties group and from the Reverend Jesse Jackson who has been attending a lot of tech company meetings to press on the diversity issue. But in this case, he spoke and applauded Cook and said he recalled the days in the Civil Rights movement when the FBI bugged Martin Luther King and that's why this is important for Cook to take this stand. Cook really didn't say that much about this particular issue but he did say at one point that it was the right thing to do even though it was a hard thing to do."

4. Reverend Jesse Jackson walks out of Apple shareholders meeting

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Activist:

"Who's next and then next? I think about Dr. King. His home phone was bugged and his car, office and hotels rooms. It was determined that he was the enemy. Once you go down this road, next comes political enemy lists. Mandala, it was discovered, was on the enemy list four years after he was dead. I've been on the enemies list. Our organizations' phones have been tapped. We deserve better and those companies that want to protect the integrity of the company itself and the principles of America must stand up and must stand with Tim. We must stop the government overreach."

6. Electronic Frontier Foundation talks to the media

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Shahid Buttah, Director of Grassroots Advocacy at Electronic Frontier Foundation:

"We're here today to stand in solidarity with Apple. We've been defending the privacy and security of users for 25 years and it's exciting to see one of the world's major corporations join us in that stance. The order out of the San Bernardino case does threaten privacy, security and international human rights. We're proud to stand with Apple. We'll be filing an amicus brief supporting the company's position in the case next week."

8. Various of shareholders leaving meeting

9. SOUNDBITE (English) John Vink, Apple Shareholder from San Jose, California:

"I think Apple's doing the right thing. It's a very tough situation. You want to stop criminals and terrorism. But you don't want to put everyone in the world at risk of being snooped on all the time. So I think Apple's doing the right thing."

10. Shareholders leaving Apple headquarters

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP Clients Only

SHOTLIST:

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - FILE

1. iPhone user

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"One of the big concerns with the Apple case was that the government would set a legal precedent that any tech company could be forced to work for law enforcement, including by signing its keys. What that would do would be to undermine trust in our entire infrastructure of network devices."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"From the outset of the case the security experts have been saying that this wasn't necessary and it was seeking a powerful law enforcement tool in a case where it wasn't strictly required. I think that the events that have happened have shown that to be the case."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - FILE

4. FBI headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"The cat and mouse game continues. There may be future vulnerabilities that are identified. Hopefully the public will be protected against those. Hopefully the government will take seriously the responsibility to protect everyone's privacy rather than keeping those vulnerabilities to itself."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - FILE

6. FBI headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice president for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"I think one big win is that the legal precedent of forcing a technology company to cryptographically sign code on behalf of of law-enforcement didn't happen. I think that's a big win because that legal precedent was one of the most dangerous aspects of this case."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - FILE

8. iPhone user

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice President for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"The precedent is that the government has moved to vacate an order that it originally filed and sought. So I think the precedent is one that's very favorable for the tech community. What we were trying to do was to get the ordinance order quashed. Assuming the judge does that which the government has now asked her to do I think it's a victory for the entire technology community."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

10. Apple headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice President for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"The FBI could share this information widely and there are those who would suggest that they should share the vulnerability with Apple to make sure that they are not simultaneously weakening the security of thousands of Apple consumers. Assuming that this is a patch that works beyond this one phone."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

12. Apple headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

13. Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage

STORYLINE:

The extraordinary legal fight pitting the Obama administration against technology giant Apple Inc. ended unexpectedly after the FBI said it used a mysterious method without Apple's help to hack into a California mass shooter's iPhone.

Left unanswered, however, were questions about how the sudden development would affect privacy in the future, and what happens the next time the government is frustrated by digital security lockout features.

Government prosecutors asked a federal judge on Monday to vacate a disputed order forcing Apple to help the FBI break into the iPhone, saying it was no longer necessary.

The FBI used the unspecified technique to access data on an iPhone used by gunman Syed Farook, who died with his wife in a gun battle with police after they killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, in December.

The Justice Department said agents are now reviewing the information on the phone.

But the government's brief court filing, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, provided no details about how the FBI got into the phone.

Nor did it identify the non-government "outside party" that showed agents how to get past the phone's security defenses. Authorities had previously said only Apple had the ability to help them unlock the phone.

Apple responded by saying it will continue to increase the security of its products.

===========================================================

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RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP Clients Only

SHOTLIST:

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - FILE

1. iPhone user

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"One of the big concerns with the Apple case was that the government would set a legal precedent that any tech company could be forced to work for law enforcement, including by signing its keys. What that would do would be to undermine trust in our entire infrastructure of network devices."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"From the outset of the case the security experts have been saying that this wasn't necessary and it was seeking a powerful law enforcement tool in a case where it wasn't strictly required. I think that the events that have happened have shown that to be the case."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - FILE

4. FBI headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - March 29, 2016

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at American Civil Liberties Union:

"The cat and mouse game continues. There may be future vulnerabilities that are identified. Hopefully the public will be protected against those. Hopefully the government will take seriously the responsibility to protect everyone's privacy rather than keeping those vulnerabilities to itself."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - FILE

6. FBI headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice president for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"I think one big win is that the legal precedent of forcing a technology company to cryptographically sign code on behalf of of law-enforcement didn't happen. I think that's a big win because that legal precedent was one of the most dangerous aspects of this case."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

New York - FILE

8. iPhone user

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice President for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"The precedent is that the government has moved to vacate an order that it originally filed and sought. So I think the precedent is one that's very favorable for the tech community. What we were trying to do was to get the ordinance order quashed. Assuming the judge does that which the government has now asked her to do I think it's a victory for the entire technology community."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

10. Apple headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - March 29, 2016

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Hayes, Vice President for Programs and Strategy at the Center for Democracy and Technology:

"The FBI could share this information widely and there are those who would suggest that they should share the vulnerability with Apple to make sure that they are not simultaneously weakening the security of thousands of Apple consumers. Assuming that this is a patch that works beyond this one phone."

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

12. Apple headquarters

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Cupertino, California - FILE

13. Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage

STORYLINE:

The extraordinary legal fight pitting the Obama administration against technology giant Apple Inc. ended unexpectedly after the FBI said it used a mysterious method without Apple's help to hack into a California mass shooter's iPhone.

Left unanswered, however, were questions about how the sudden development would affect privacy in the future, and what happens the next time the government is frustrated by digital security lockout features.

Government prosecutors asked a federal judge on Monday to vacate a disputed order forcing Apple to help the FBI break into the iPhone, saying it was no longer necessary.

The FBI used the unspecified technique to access data on an iPhone used by gunman Syed Farook, who died with his wife in a gun battle with police after they killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, in December.

The Justice Department said agents are now reviewing the information on the phone.

But the government's brief court filing, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, provided no details about how the FBI got into the phone.

Nor did it identify the non-government "outside party" that showed agents how to get past the phone's security defenses. Authorities had previously said only Apple had the ability to help them unlock the phone.

Apple responded by saying it will continue to increase the security of its products.

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