FBI LABORATORY
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
April 4, 1979
To: SAC, San Francisco (89-250) (Sq. 10)
From: Director, FBI
Re: RYMUR
Examination requested by: San Francisco
Reference: Telephone call January 8, 1979, Teletype February 7, 1979, airtel March 8, 1979
Examination requested: Cryptanalysis
FBI file no: 89-4286
Lab. No.: 90110005 G/UV, 90321068 G UV
Remarks:
[Page 2]
Report of the
FBI LABORATORY
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
April 4, 1979
To: SAC, San Francisco (89-250) (Sq. 10)
Re: RYMUR
FBI file no: 89-4286
Lab. No.: 90110005 G/UV, 90321068 G UV
Specimens received: January 10, 1979, undercover of communication dated January 3, 1979 (90110005 G/UV)
Qc826: Photocopies of 81 pages of various notations, first page beginning “Guyana exercise book”
Qc827: Photocopies of an encoding list, consisting of 36 pages, first page beginning “Jagan – Rev. Garrison”
Qc828: Photocopies of an encoding list, consisting of 48 pages with the notation “Karen Layton for 8R1” written on the first page
Qc829: Photocopies of an encoding list and various other listings, such as “call numbers” for radio contacts. Page one of 52 pages bears the notation “Old Codes”
Qc830: Photocopies of a list, totaling 23 pages, of encoding and decoding references. First page begins ”Partial cross-reference”
(over)
[Page 3 of serial; page 2 of document]
Specimens received March 21, 1979, under cover of communication dated March 8, 1979 (90321068 G UV)
Qc1288: Photocopies of codes and radio-related documents, which include two pages (E-3-A-7, pages 16 and 17) of coded names and phrases
Result of examination:
Qc827 through Qc830 are codebooks containing names and phrases used in radio communications by members of the Peoples Temple(PT) in Guyana, both Jonestown and Georgetown, and the PT in the United States. Qc1288 ((E-3-A-7) is a similar listing but was designed for use by the PT in Caracas, Venezuela and the PT in Guyana.
These codes were updated and revised periodically to protect their security. It appears that Qc827 (E-4-b-1-aaaa) is an update of Qc829 (E-4-b-1-a) and was in use at least from March, 1978 through possibly June, 1978 at which time the codes appear to have been revised. This revision would be Qc828 (E-4-b-2, E-4-c-1 and 2) which was used from possibly July, 1978 up to November 11, 1978. At this time, Qc828 appears to have been updated by Qc830 (E-4-b-1-aaa). This was determined by an entry in Qc826 (E-4-a-5-t) dated November 11. “OK Mike by the way u will be sending me a picture of ur new dog.” This coded phrase, according to Qc830, means “new code list,” Indicating that the new code list was being used.
There were times during radio broadcasts when the PT radio operators would get their codes confused. One radio operator would be using an old code list and the other operator would be working from a new list. The overall alphabetized listing of Qc827 through Qc830 and Qc1288 should facilitate the decipherment of any questioned segments of radio transmissions of the PT.
Computerized listings requested by San Francisco are being forwarded under separate cover.
Qc826 through Qc830 and Qc1288 are being retained at Headquarters.
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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
United States Department of Justice
Laboratory work sheet
To: SAC, San Francisco (89-250)
Re: RYMUR
FBI file no: 89-4286
Lab. No.: 90321068 G UV
Examination requested by: San Francisco
Reference: Airtel March 8, 1979
Examination requested: Cryptanalysis
Specimens received: March 21, 1979
Qc1288: Photocopies of codes and radio-related documents, which include two pages (E-3-A-7, Pages 16 and 17) of coded names and phrases
[Page 6 is evidence receipt of San Francisco field office submitting codebooks]
Evidence: Qc’s 826-830, received 1/10/79. San Francisco phone call to SA [name deleted], opened case, material sent to personnel [illegible word] of [name deleted] (no cover letter submitted)