FBI LABORATORY
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
May 23, 1979
To: SAC, San Francisco (89-250)
From: Director, FBI
Re: RYMUR
Examination requested by: Criminal Investigative Division
Reference: Memorandum J.O. Ingram to Mr. Moore, dated 12/20/78, captioned RYMUR
Examination requested: Duplication – Cryptanalysis
FBI file no: 89-4286
Lab. No.: 81228001 G/E UV SH
Remarks: Results of Cryptanalysis examination will be reported separately.
Enclosures (2) (2 Laboratory Reports)
[page 2]
Report of the
FBI LABORATORY
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
May 23, 1979
To: SAC, San Francisco (89-250)
Re: RYMUR
FBI file no: 89-4286
Lab. No.: 81228001 G/E UV SH
Specimens received: 12/27/78
Q55 One Scotch AVC-90 cassette tape marked “Guyana 1” on side 1 and “Guyana 2” on side 2.
Q56 One Scotch AVC-90 cassette tape marked “Guyana 3” on side 1 and “Guyana 4” on side 2.
Also submitted
One copy of an FD-302 and a letter from the United States Embassy, Trinidad concerning the specimens Q55 and Q56.
Results of examination:
Two direct copies each were made of Q55 and Q56 on Maxell C 90 magnetic tape cassettes. Each copy of each specimen consisted of one cassette.
One cassette copy of each specimen was personally delivered to the Document Section of the FBI Laboratory on 1/29/79.
Q55, Q56, and one cassette copy of each forwarded to the San Francisco Office under separate cover via registered mail on 5/16/79.
The also submitted items are being retained.
[Page 3 – Handwritten notes summarizing findings on page 2]
[Page 4]
United States Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Memorandum
Date: 12/20/78
To: Mr. Moore
From: J. O. Ingram
Subject: RYMUR
PURPOSE: To seek examination by the Laboratory Cryptanalysis Subunit of enclosed tapes which were obtained from the State Department as further explained in attached FD-302 and letter of the United States Embassy, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad to the State Department, Washington, DC, dated 12/4/78.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Laboratory Cryptanalysis Subunit examine the two enclosed cassette tape recordings for any indication of possible use of code and furnish an analysis and transcript of the tapes to San Francisco and the Criminal Investigative Division, Personal Crimes Unit, Attention: SA [name deleted], Room 5062.
[Page 5 – Letter from the US Embassy, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad]
December 4, 1978
Mr. Richard McCoy
Trinidad and Tobago Desk Officer
ARA/LA/CAR, Room 3242
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Dick:
I am enclosing a couple of tapes provided to us by a fellow here by the name of [name deleted] – apparently, [name deleted] can fill you in on who he is. [name deleted], a local radio ham, says that they are recordings he made of radio broadcasts from Jonestown shortly before the calamity. He says the messages are coded but that the FBI can decode them. He provided them to us for forwarding to the FBI, which you might do after talking with [name deleted].
Best regards,
Sincerely,
Joseph E. O’Mahony
Deputy Chief of Mission
[Page 6]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 12/13/78
On 12/12/78, Richard A. McCoy, Trinidad and Tobago Desk Officer, Latin American Affairs, Department of State, advised that he received via diplomatic pouch that date a letter from the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), US Embassy, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, which enclosed two cassette tapes received by the DCM from a ham radio operator in Trinidad. According to the DCM’s letter, they are recordings of radio broadcasts from Jonestown shortly before “the calamity”. The messages are in code.
Attached are a copy of the letter received by McCoy and the two cassette tapes.