November 20, 1980
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Legislative Affairs
Director, FBI
INQUIRY FROM THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE REGARDING JONESTOWN, GUYANA
Reference is made to your memorandum dated October 20, 1980, to Mr. [name deleted] in which you provided the FBI with the three questions furnished to you by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). My response to the Committee dated November 6, 1980, was forwarded to you by memorandum on November 5, 1980, for your review.
The Committee has subsequently requested that the FBI review its files and advise them as to whether or not our files reveal any Central Intelligence Agency involvement with Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple or Jonestown. Enclosed is my response to this further inquiry. Please review the attached letter and forward it to the Committee.
[Page 2]
November 21, 1980
Honorable Edward P. Boland
Chairman
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Per your request, FBI personnel at FBI Headquarters have reviewed all investigative files relating to Jim Jones, Jonestown and the People’s Temple for any indication of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) involvement in or with that organization or its members. Although these files did reflect interviews with People’s Temple members, survivors, former members, certain of their associates and a few others who made allegations that the CIA was plotting or spying against Jim Jones and his followers, there was nothing in these files which could substantiate these allegations. To be specific, the review of these files did not show any involvement of the CIA from within the People’s Temple nor did it substantiate any allegation of any CIA conspiracy against the People’s Temple or its members.
Further, a review of the criminal investigative files in the San Francisco Division, which was undertaken pursuant to the FBI’s investigation into the death of Congressman Ryan, did not reflect any information that would substantiate any allegations of CIA involvement in or with Jim Jones, Jonestown or the People’s Temple.
If I can be of any further assistance in the above matter, please let me know.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ William H. Webster
Director
[Page 3]
Honorable Edward P. Boland
NOTE:
The response to the Committee is based on a review of all files at Headquarters relating to Jonestown, Jim Jones or the People’s Temple which was undertaken by [2 names deleted] under the supervision of Robert J. Chester, Discloser Unit C, Disclosure Section, FOIPA. This review revealed no information which would substantiate CIA involvement in Jonestown, Jim Jones or the People’s Temple.
Further, on 11/17/80, SA Donald Hale, San Francisco Division, who is the case agent in the RYMUR investigation advised SA [name deleted], Congressional Affairs Unit, that a review of that Division’s criminal investigative files does not substantiate any allegations of CIA involvement in or with Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple or Jonestown.