[Editor’s note: Two different releases of the same document had slightly different redactions at the top of page 2. The black text throughout is the language common to both; the red language was added to one; the blue language was added to the second.]
0 272328Z DEC 78
FM BROOKLYN QUEENS MRA (89-495) P
TO DIRECTOR (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
BT
SECRET
RYMUR
[Line establishing identity of witness deleted] contacted BQMRA this date, and in the presence of attorney [name and address deleted] advised as follows:
[Name deleted] fled Guyana August, 1978, with family due to political pressures from current Guyanese government. [line deleted] has no intention returning Guyana as he fears for life of himself and family.
[Name deleted] claimed to have personal contact Peoples Temple (PT) leadership in Guyana to include contact with Paula Adams,
PAGE TWO SECRET
Debbie Touchette, since 1974, when they were working with Guyanese government to establish Jonestown. [Name deleted] alleged that his remarks critical of Guyanese government made to Paula Adams systematically related to Prime Minister Biernan [Forbes Burnham].
[line deleted] Biernan involved in production of raw narcotic crops and subsequent shipment to United States by Jim Jones utilizing PT vessels.
[Last 10 lines on page heavily redacted]
PAGE THREE SECRET
[Half line deleted] However, he knows of no public facilities being constructed in Guyana that could account [half line deleted]
[Name deleted] theorizes that initial body count at Jonestown was correct. [Words deleted] elite GDF, handpicked by Biernan, forcibly rounded up Jonestown survivors of first poisoning session and was responsible for their murder 12 hours later. Reason for above, [half line deleted] was to cover-up Ryan killing and place total blame on Reverend Jones’ crazed plan. [Name deleted] claimed that Biernan would not have allowed Ryan to leave Guyana alive, and use Jones is willing dupe. For this reason Biernan delayed allowing United States officials into Jonestown so autopsy could not be performed disclosing discrepancy in time of death of two groups Jonestown victims.
[2 line paragraph deleted]
BQMRA believes [Name deleted] to be creditable and sincere, and will recontact for more thorough debriefing and obtain alleged documentation [Name deleted] to have with respect to above.
PAGE FOUR SECRET
[2 paragraphs totaling eight lines deleted]
BQMRA strongly suggests contents of instant communication not be disseminated to Department of State until allegations of compromise American officials of the Guyanese Embassy, currently in United States, resolved.
Classified and extended by 8520, reason for extension FCIM II, 1-2.4.2 XGDS 2 & 3.
Date of review for reclassification December 27, 1988.
BT