The Washington Times: Russian authorities have reportedly succeeded in unlocking an Apple iPhone owned by the off-duty police officer who shot and killed its ambassador to Turkey at an art show in Ankara last week as investigators look for potential links to terrorism.
Both Russian and Turkish authorities sought the contents of the gunman’s iPhone in the aftermath of the Dec. 19 shooting, but a 4-digit passcode initially prevented the device from being unlocked, according to an article published by MacReports this week.
On Thursday, the website reported that the Russian team had successfully managed to unlocked the device, paving the way for investigators to begin scouring the smartphone for evidence that could potentially explain why Mevlut Mert Altintas shot and killed Ambassador Andrei Karlov during a Dec. 19 art exhibit in the Turkish capital.
Karlov, 62, was giving a speech at the art show week when Altintas, posing as his bodyguard, drew a 9mm pistol and fired several shots, killing the ambassador. Altintas, 22, was fatally shot moments later, but not before shouting: “Do not forget Aleppo, do not forget Syria.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry has called the incident an act of terrorism.
The website for Pravda, a former propaganda organ of the Soviet Communist Party, reported on Friday that Russian investigators had offered their phone-cracking skills to Turkish authorities after Apple failed to respond to Ankara’s request for assistance — evidence of Apple’s “unwillingness to render assistance,” Pravda reported.
But Apple was never asked for assistance in the first place, the company told the 9to5mac website this week, casting doubts over the Russian outlet’s claim.
