How do you know Apple didn't directly, or indirectly via for example China, provide access to the FBI?

How do you know they didn't crack it with alien technology from Area 51?

I don't, but I do know Apple exists, Apple is in the position to provide a crack, looks better if they they refuse to compile then patch the backdoor when it becomes known, etc...

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterintelligence

The same way we know Apple isn't really a unicorn farm; specifically, there is no compelling evidence to suggest such a thing.

Given Apple's declined to say what happened with China's "security" requests, but China's allowed them to continue doing business, the FBI's head met with them in China to talk about Apple, etc. -- I believe their enough known to merit Apple and the FBI going on the record regarding what, if anything, happened, and their position on the topic.

I don't think you know what "evidence" is if you think anything you've said provides evidence of anything specific happening.

Fine, if my use of evidence upsets you, happy to change it to "known" - since everything I stated above in the comment you're taking issue with is public knowledge.

Second, are you aware of what I mentioned, or you just whipping around HN expressing your opinion without any effort; if so, that's bit above trolling in my opinion.

Lastly, given your username, if you have any affiliation with the government, law enforcement, etc. - in my opinion that should be disclosed in a comment on related topics.

Your entitled demands aside, it is not "known" that Apple secretly helped the FBI crack one of their phones despite claiming to resist the FBI publicly.