[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1951 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1979GEORGE00916_e.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE FBB 480
PAGE 01 GEORGE 00916 011750Z
ACTION OCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 CA-01 JUSE-00 L-03 FBIE-00 SSO-00 /022 W
——————098898 011757Z /47
O 011730Z MAR 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9090
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 0916
PASS TO: LEGATT, CARACAS JUSTICE – M. ABBELL
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: AINF, CASC
SUBJ: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, PEOPLES TEMPLE
1. Legatt at Caracas has requested that Embassy obtain various records and documents sought by Civil and Criminal Division, Department of Justice, in connection with continuing investigation of Peoples Temple. Embassy has deferred response to Legatt pending confirmation of status of this material under Privacy Act.
2. Embassy is advised that Justice has formally advised Department of the initiation of an investigation of the Peoples Temple. Embassy believes that any documents or information requested by Justice in connection with this investigation would be exempt from prohibitions against disclosure contained in Privacy Act. Embassy requests Department confirmation of this view. Material requested by Legatt, Caracas will be requested from GOG [Government of Guyana] when confirmation received.
3. Department is requested to pouch to Embassy copy of
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02 GEORGE 00916 011750Z
Justice letter noting the initiation of the investigation.
Burke [John Burke, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana]
Note by oc/t: Georgetown 0916 not passed Legatt, Caracas.
Limited official use