FBI's spat with Apple: firms will need a foreign policy

London

US PRESIDENTIAL candidate Donald Trump called on Saturday for consumers to boycott Apple products until the tech giant cooperates with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to help "unlock" the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists. The move follows Apple's refusal to comply with the order last week of a US federal magistrate that the firm assist the FBI.

The issue, which could become a significant one too in the US Congress with hearings already scheduled in March, sees the most valuable US company by market capitalisation at loggerheads with the country's powerful law enforcement agency. Throughout the process, Apple has sought to make clear that while it was "shocked and outraged" by the San Bernardino attacks which killed 17 people, and has "no sympathy for terrorists", it is nonetheless refusing to comply with the FBI because it asserts this would be an "unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers".