US lawmakers warn that the “special relationship” is being undermined by the “cloak of secrecy” surrounding Yvette Cooper’s order for Apple to install an iPhone backdoor, which “infringes on free speech and privacy”.

Five members of Congress have written to Lord Justice Singh, president of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), urging British officials to lift a gagging order ahead of Apple’s legal challenge.

On Friday, Apple will appeal against a Technical Capability Notice issued by the Home Secretary, which demands the company disable its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature – an encryption safeguard for iPhone backups.

The Telegraph has the story:

The IPT hearing is scheduled to be held in secret, and the tribunal has not acknowledged that it relates to Apple.