Q728 Summary

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

To read the Tape Transcript, click here. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1, Pt. 2).
To return to the Tape Index, click here.

FBI Catalogue           Unidentified Individuals Speaking

FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Tracs 60/ News 2 Sept (illegible mark) 78/ broken when received, repair (illegible) & put in new housing

Date cues on tape:     Contents of tape establish it as October 2, 1978, the “Tuesday” after Pope John Paul’s death the previous Thursday

People named:

Public figures/National and international names:

Jonestown residents:

 
Bible verses cited:     None

Summary:

Jim Jones reads the news for October 2, 1978.

As is the case with many of the readings from this period, Jones depends upon Soviet and Warsaw Pact news wires such as Radio Moscow for the stories he reads, although he also identifies two Western sources – Radio Netherlands and Voice of America – by name.

He also adds several editorial comments along the way, most of which are familiar to the Jonestown community. It is hard to know how much of the praise he gives to the Soviet bloc and Third World nations is part of the news copy, just as some of the critical descriptions of the West and its allies may be included in the stories he reads. Nevertheless, some is undoubtedly his own. His portrayal of NATO as “the military adventurers, aggressive expansionist fascist imperialist lackeys of US imperialism” seems to be his own, as are the thrice-repeated characterization of Washington, D.C. as “the center of world imperialism” and – on the other side of the ideological coin – the mention of the Soviet Union as “avant garde of liberation of the world,” reiterated four times.

A few other passages reflect Jones’ own fears, such as his concern – voiced two times –that ongoing concerns in the Mideast, “could break out into the spark that would lead to World War III, which would mean the end of US society.” In addition, he takes advantage of the news of the second papal death within a month to mock “God’s representative on earth,” a phrase he uses more than once. Finally, as in other news tapes, he seems to delight in pointing out the hypocrisy of President Carter proclaiming the US as the arbiter of human rights while American foreign policy backs such repressive and murderous regimes as Rhodesia and South Africa on the African continent, and Nicaragua in Central America.

Nevertheless, the report is low-key. There are few direct addresses to the community, much less any direct lessons or correlations drawn between the news of the day and life in Jonestown.

Among the news items covered:

• Anwar Sadat invites President Carter to come to Mideast for signing of Camp David accords, as US diplomats try to sell agreement to Arab world;
• Lebanon tries to form a new government, even as fighting continues between Christian Phalangists and security forces;
• The State Department considers issuing visa to Rhodesia’s Ian Smith;
• Rhodesia closes black Zimbabwean newspaper, and publisher to be tried;
• Flood rescue efforts continue in Bengal and India;
• British Labor government rejects Prime Minister’s wage and economic plans, increasing likelihood of resignation and election of Conservative Party leader;
• Pope John Paul lies in state;
• Negotiations continue for Somoza’s removal;
• US does nothing to counter Cambodian genocide; Vietnam and Cambodia open talks on new relations;
• USSR congratulates Guinea on 20 years of liberation;
• 60 countries meet at conference to oppose apartheid and support African liberation;
• President of Venezuela to visit Guyana.

The second side of the tape consists of a Spanish lesson led by Don Jackson for members of the Jonestown community.

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 6/27/79

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.

On June 20, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B62-45. This tape was found to contain the following:

Music.

World news Broadcast recording concentrating on Africa, given by an unknown individual.

Spanish lesson being given to a group of individuals.

Differences with FBI Summary:

Aside from the fact that the news was read by Jim Jones – whose voice should have been familiar to agents after three months of reviewing tapes – the summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.