[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 357 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/1978GEORGE03867_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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PAGE 01
GEORGE 03867 231951Z
ACTION FBIE-00
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 JUSE-00 L-03 SCS-06 INSE-00 CA-01 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 PM-05 NSC-05 SP-02 SS-15 OC-06 CCO-00 H-01 /066 W
——————042654 250715Z /13
R 221450Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8139
C O N F I DCA N T I A L GEORGETOWN 3867
FOR FBI HQ
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS:
SUBJECT: UNSUBS; U.S. CONGRESSMAN LEO RYAN (DECEASED) VICTIM; PEOPLE’S TEMPLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH; DISCIPLES OF CHRIST; CONGRESSIONAL ASSASSINATION STATUE-CONSPIRACY; FPC
1. Ambassador John Burke at Georgetown presented legal attaché to Police Commissioner Lloyd Barker on morning of November 22 1978. Ambassador has assured police commissioner that no active investigation will be conducted by the FBI in Guyana.
2. Legal attaché remained with police commissioner after departure of ambassador and in an hour long session with commissioner and assistant commissioners explained vital interest of FBI and the Department of Justice in resolving all conspiracy aspects of this investigation. Legal attaché offered through liaison full cooperative efforts of the FBI.
3. Legal attaché in initial approach to Guyana police requested among other things
A. Serial numbers of all weapons obtained from
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People’s Temple (PT) members.
B. Full identity of all PT members from immigration records to include all background data including addresses in U.S.
C. Copies of all statements taken by Guyana police of all persons interviewed in this matter.
D. Identity of all deceased found at Jonestown.
E. Xerox copies of the 800 PT passports reportedly found at Jonestown.
F. Serial numbers and details of radio transmitting equipment found at Jonestown.
4. Barker stated he would have to confer with his minister concerning the request but believed that all information would be forthcoming.
5. Barker has requested that from investigation currently being conducted at San Francisco, California, that he be furnished a succinct summary of background of PT. He specifically was interested in how the Temple began, the type of people and manner of recruitment, such as, if they sought wealthy or poor people, agricultural type people, or criminals to be reformed. Barker requested any estimate as to complete number of members inasmuch as figure of 1,200 has been reported, but he is unable to identify this number.
6. Bureau requested to permit San Francisco to furnish succinct summary of PT. Legal attaché receiving full cooperation of embassy including office space and support of
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ambassador. Due to sensitivity of Guyana government to active investigation by foreign police agencies in Guyana, due caution will be exercised and interest of FBI vigorously pursued through liaison channels.
Burke [John Burke, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana]
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