Memorandum
Date: 12/10/80
To: Mr. Revell
From: R. S. Young
Subject: INQUIRY FROM THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE REGARDING JONESTOWN, GUYANA
PURPOSE: The purpose of this memorandum is to advise you of a request by the staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) for a briefing and to recommend that this meeting be conducted.
DETAILS: On 12/3/80, Mr. Herbert Romerstein, Professional Staff Member, HPSCI, advised SA [name deleted], of the Congressional Affairs Unit that the Committee is aware that certain FBI documents were found in Jonestown during the investigation of the events which took place there on 11/18/78. Pursuant to the investigation which the Committee is conducting regarding these events, several Committee members have expressed an interest in the fact that FBI documents were found in Jonestown. Therefore, Mr. Romerstein advised that he is requesting that the FBI brief the staff of the HPSCI regarding these documents. Specifically, the Committee would like to know how the documents got to Jonestown and whether any FBI informants were identified as a result of these documents. Mr. Romerstein further advised that the Committee would not need the identities of any current Bureau employees who might have been involved in an illegal release of FBI documents if such is the case.
Mr. Romerstein advised that he was making this request pursuant to an ongoing request of the HPSCI for assistance from the FBI in their review of the events which took place at Jonestown in November, 1978. This request was most recently set forth in a letter from Chairman Boland to the Attorney General dated 10/6/80, (copy attached for CID).
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Memorandum from R. S. Young to Mr. Revell
Re: INQUIRY FROM THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE REGARDING JONESTOWN, GUYANA
On 12/4/80, SA Bassett discussed this request with Mr. Michael J. O’Neil, Chief Counsel, HPSCI. Mr. O’Neil advised that this request is a matter of interest to several members of the Committee. He further advised that this request is being made pursuant to Chairman Boland’s previous request for assistance from the FBI in the Committee’s investigation of the events which took place in Jonestown in November, 1978.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Criminal Investigative Division approve the briefing which has been requested by the HPSCI. It is further recommended that the Criminal Investigative Division advise the Congressional Affairs Unit as to who will conduct the briefing inasmuch as it will be the responsibility of the Congressional Affairs Unit to schedule and coordinate the briefing if approved.