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Apple Asks Judge To Vacate Order On Locked iPhone

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami/AP) — Apple Inc. has asked a federal magistrate to revers an order that would force the company to help the FBI hack a locked iPhone - saying the government is seeking "dangerous power" through the courts.

Thursday's filing represents Apple's first official response since the judge's order last week and builds upon arguments voiced by the company's chief executive and supporters.

The Justice Department is proposing a "boundless interpretation" of the law that, if left unchecked, could bring disastrous repercussions for digital privacy, the company warned in a memo submitted to Magistrate Sheri Pym.

"The government says: 'Just this once' and 'Just this phone.' But the government knows those statements are not true," lawyers for Apple wrote.

The filing was made the same day that FBI Director James Comey defended the government's approach during separate appearances on Capitol Hill.

The dispute broke into public view last Tuesday when Pym directed Apple to help the FBI gain access to a phone used by one of the assailants in the San Bernardino, California, attacks.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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