BY COURIER SERVICE
Date: January 22, 1980
To: Mr. Frank M. Machak
Information and Privacy Coordinator
Room 1239
Bureau of Administration
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
From: David G. Flanders, Chief
Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts (FOIPA) Branch
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Subject: State Department Documents Concerning People’s Temple/Jonestown Reviewed for (b)(7)(A)
Reference is made to the telephone call from Special Agent [name deleted] on January 21, 1980.
These documents have been reviewed by the FBI to determine what information if released would have an adverse impact on enforcement proceedings. Through this review and discussion with the AUSA, San Francisco, it was determined that 12 of the documents would interfere with enforcement proceedings.
Documents which should be withheld in portions or in their entirety pursuant to (b)(7)(A) have been pulled from sequential order and are enclosed for your use in identifying them. These 12 documents would substantially interfere in the government’s case and are numbered: 172, 206, 989, 1167, 1307, 1310, 1321, 1322, 1329, 1424, 1540, and 1994.
Since the review of these documents was only for information which would interfere in enforcement proceedings, it will be your agency’s responsibility to apply any other FOIPA exemptions you deem appropriate. Also, any information contained in these documents which originated with the FBI should be referred to this bureau for our recommendations regarding other FOIPA exemptions.
[Page 2]
Mr. Frank M. Machak
For your information, authorities in the Department of Justice have expressed concern over release of documents prior to receiving approval for such action by the government of Guyana.
Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact [several names deleted]
Note: SA [name deleted] phone Al Hantman, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, on 1/21/80. Mr. Hantman advised he is retiring and Roger B. Cubbage will be handling the People’s Temple case. Hantman suggested the US State Department consider obtaining approval from the government of Guyana before any release of documents is made.
The documents mentioned in this communication were reviewed by the San Francisco FBI case agent for only (b)(7)(A) material and forwarded to FBIHQ by airtel dated 1/15/80 for our return to State Department. [Following sentence crossed out: “Only copies of the 12 documents to be withheld on (b)(7)(A) have been xeroxed for our records.”]