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Days after the assassination attempt on former US President, Donald Trump, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have announced that they had “gained access” to the shooter’s phone. The agency did not reveal how they managed to break into the device or what information they discovered. However, the rapid success suggests the use of advanced phone-hacking tools.
Israeli Technology Used To Unlock Crooks Cellphone
The FBI used Israeli technology to unlock the cellphone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who tried to kill former U.S. President Donald Trump. The FBI, according to Washington Post, has been trying to learn about Crooks’ motivations ever since Saturday’s assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelInvestigators enlisted Cellebrite to hack into the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel, Pennsylvania, who opened fire at a Trump rally in nearby Butler on Saturday.
Assault Rifle legally Purchased by Father
Crooks, who used an assault rifle legally purchased by his father 11 years ago, killed one person and critically injured two, and one of his bullets grazed the Republican presidential candidate’s right ear. A US Secret Service sniper shot and killed Crooks on the spot.
The shooter’s phone was recovered from his body and was hacked to help determine his motive, which remains elusive. While it could otherwise have possibly taken investigators weeks or even months to crack the phone, the Israeli technology enabled them to get the job done in just 40 minutes, the report says.
Cellebrite Listed On The NASDAQ
Cellebrite, which is listed on the NASDAQ, has come under scrutiny from rights groups in the past over the sale of its services to repressive regimes, including Pakistan and Belarus.
Investigators are considering the possibility that Crooks used two phones, after discovering a phone with a dead battery at his home in Bethel Park, where he lived with his parents.
The Washington Post cites two neighbours and Crooks’ school counsellor as saying that Crooks and his parents were normal, with one neighbour describing him as a “quiet, dorky kid” typical of the neighbourhood. The counsellor, who worked with the shooter’s older sister, denies reports that Crooks was bullied while at school. He is said to describe Crooks as “quiet,” “intelligent,” “cooperative” and “well-spoken.”
Two people familiar with the situation are cited as saying that Crooks’ parents, both of whom are licensed social workers, were loving though possibly not attuned to specifics of their son’s life. Two neighbours recall seeing Trump signs on the family’s lawn.
