FBI = Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys?
I am rather cynical about feral claims they have an alternate method. If the method exists it is likely due to a security coding error and was probably known to a friendly spookhaus. The best way to have handled this is quietly through the FISA court with a court order (nod, nod, wink, wink) ordering the spookhaus to get in. To me, ferals have abjectly surrendered while mouthing off about an unprovable claim. Later they can claim there was nothing on the phone of value after they allegedly hack it.
I know the title is insulting to real Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys, they actually showed more spirit and competence than the ferals.