[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979STATE038083_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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STATE 038083
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 H-01 L-03 CA-01 DRC-01 OCS-06 PA-01 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 /039 R
DRAFTED BY ARA/CAR:R MCCOY:KC
APPROVED BY ARA/CAR:J GRIFFITH
ARA/CAR:A HEWITT
H/ARA:E TAYLOR (SUBS)
L/ARA:T FORTUNE (SUBS)
——————031668 140730Z /12
P 140320Z FEB 79
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY
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E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: OGEN, GY
SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM HFAC
1. (U) THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED ON FEBRUARY 7, 1979 THE FOLLOWING LETTER FROM HFAC CHAIRMAN ZABLOCKI TO THE SECRETARY, THE TEXT OF WHICH FOLLOWS:
BEGIN TEXT:
DEAR MR. SECRETARY:
IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTINUING STAFF INQUIRY WHICH I HAVE ORDERED INTO THE DEATH OF REPRESENTATIVE LEO J. RYAN AND THE RESULTING INCIDENTS AT JONESTOWN, GUYANA, THE COMMITTEE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -AND MATERIALS: –
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(1) AS A PART OF A SERIES OF MEMORANDA PARTIALLY SUBMITTED UNDER COVER OF MR. DOUGLAS BENNET’S JANUARY 4 LETTER TO ME IT WAS THE COMMITTEE’S UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. EMBASSY WHO HAD ANY KIND OF CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE ORGANIZATION IN GUYANA, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, WOULD SUBMIT STATEMENTS SUMMARIZING THAT CONTACT. ON THE BASIS OF THAT UNDERSTANDING THE COMMITTEE ASSUMES THAT ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED. THIS REQUEST APPLIES TO THE PERIOD FROM THE INCEPTION OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE ACTIVITIES IN GUYANA IN 1974 THROUGH NOVEMBER 18, 1978.
(2) COPIES OF STATE DEPARTMENT LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS OF AND GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRIVACY ACT WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER, IN THE OPINION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE ACT APPLIED TO MINORS. IN THIS SAME CONNECTION THE COMMITTEE WOULD REQUIRE AN EXPLANATION OF THE TIMEFRAMES WITHIN WHICH SUCH INTERPRETATIONS AND GUIDELINES WERE FORMULATED AND PROVIDED TO CONSULAR AND EMBASSY OFFICIALS ABROAD.
(3) ANY INFORMATION WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE MAY HAVE REGARDING THE EXIT FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THE ARRIVAL IN GUYANA OF A MINOR CHILD BY THE NAME OF DANA GRIFFITH.
(4) AS OF NOVEMBER 14, 1978, WHAT WAS THE STATE DEPARTMENT’S AND THE U.S. EMBASSY’S IN GUYANA UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE LEGAL ARRANGEMENT UNDER WHICH THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE ESTABLISHED AND OPERATED JONESTOWN? ALSO DID
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THAT ARRANGEMENT LIMIT OR PRECLUDE ENTRY BY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP? LASTLY, WOULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OF THE ARRANGEMENT DOCUMENT?
(5) A REPORT ON WHETHER ANY FOREIGN PASSPORTS WERE FOUND AMONG THE FILES IN JONESTOWN, GUYANA.
(6) A COMPLETE AND DETAILED REPORT ON ANY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACTS FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE INVOLVING PEOPLE’S TEMPLE BETWEEN 1974 AND NOVEMBER 18, 1978, INCLUDING AN INDICATION OF THE TIME LAPSES BETWEEN THE FILING OF SUCH REPORTS AND COMPLIANCE WITH THEM.
(7) ANY INFORMATION THE STATE DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE REGARDING THE VISITS TO ANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN EASTERN EUROPE, OF MR. JIM JONES AND MR. TIM STOEN.
(8) DURING THE PERIOD OF FEBRUARY-SEPTEMBER 1977 THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE UNDERTOOK AN INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS THAT PEOPLE’S TEMPLE WAS SMUGGLING GUNS AND OTHER COUNTRABAND INTO JONESTOWN. THE FINAL REPORT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMITTED TO INTERPOL. RELATIVE TO THE CUSTOMS SERVICE REPORT THE COMMITTEE IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING (A) IF THE REPORT WAS PROVIDED TO STATE AND WHEN AND WHAT DISTRIBUTION WAS MADE OF IT; AND (B) IF ANY SUBSEQUENT INTERPOL ACTION RELATIVE TO THE CUSTOMS REPORT BECAME KNOWN TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE U.S. EMBASSY IN GEORGETOWN.
(9) THE PRECISE TIME AND THE METHOD BY WHICH THE U.S. EMBASSY IN GEORGETOWN LEARNED OF THE SHOOTING AT THE PORT KAITUMA AIRSTRIP. ALSO, THE PRECISE TIME AND METHOD BY WHICH THE SAME INFORMATION WAS CONVEYED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON.
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(10) BEYOND THE JONESTOWN GUESTBOOK, COPIES OF WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED, PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ANY ADDITIONAL VISITORS TO JONESTOWN OF WHICH YOU MAY BE AWARE.
(11) THE SOURCE OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING IN YOUR DECEMBER 13 REPORT THAT THERE WERE 33 WEAPONS FOUND IN JONESTOWN AFTER THE TRAGEDY. IN ADDITION, PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER ANY NEW INFORMATION HAS COME TO LIGHT WHICH WOULD CHANGE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WEAPONS FOUND AT JONESTOWN. AS ALWAYS, YOUR COOPERATION IN RESPONDING TO THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE DEEPLY AND GENUINELY APPRECIATED.
WITH BEST WISHES, I AM
SINCERELY YOURS,
CHAIRMAN
END TEXT
2. (U) IN ORDER TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE CHAIRMAN’S REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT WILL NEED EMBASSY REPLY TO QUESTIONS 5, 9, 10, AND 11. EMBASSY RESPONSE WOULD BE APPRECIATED BY COB FEBRUARY 16.
3. (LOU) FYI: THE HFAC STAFFERS SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED FSR JOSEPH HARTMAN AS ONE EMBASSY OFFICER WHOSE STATEMENT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING IN ANSWER TO QUESTION 1. END FYI WE WILL ALSO NEED BY FEBRUARY 16 FOR QUESTION 1 MATERIAL FROM EMBASSY ON CONTACTS WITH PEOPLES TEMPLE IN GEORGETOWN AND ELSEWHERE TO SUPPLEMENT MATERIAL ALREADY PROVIDED ON VISITS TO JONESTOWN.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
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