[Editor’s note: The subject of this serial whose name is deleted is Jackie Speier. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type.]
0 250015Z NOV 78
FM SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) (P) (SQUAD 10)
TO DIRECTOR FBI (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
ATTN: CID COMMAND POST
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR.
San Francisco is analyzing the information which has come to our attention thus far which may indicate that a conspiracy existed. This analysis is being done for a dual purpose. First, to determine what leads are necessary and in which direction the investigation should go in order to show this conspiracy. Second, there apparently is a jurisdictional dispute on venue based upon the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure which indicate that jurisdiction will lie wherever the parties to be tried first enter the United States. Consequently, the dispute as to whether this case should be tried in the Northern District of California or in the district in which Charleston, South Carolina lies may exist if any of the persons for whom warrants are outstanding enter the United States in the first plane loads out of Guyana and landing at Charleston, South Carolina. However, if a conspiracy with roots in San Francisco can be shown venue will lie in the NDC.
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The below information are points, some strong, some weak, which may tend to show a conspiracy rooted in the United States or specifically in San Francisco. San Francisco is aware that the conspiracy must relate to the assassination of Congressman Ryan and Congressman Ryan alone. That is to say, that if a conspiracy existed in general to assassinate anyone who came down to Guyana to expose the People‘s Temple (PT) the extra territorial portion of the statute would not apply. It must show, therefore, that the conspiracy relates specifically to Congressman Ryan.
Charles Garry, PT attorney, advised that Terri Buford who interviews indicate is a high functionary in the PT and which interviews also indicate should be considered as one of the two most dangerous members in the United States, defected from the PT approximately two weeks before Ryan’s murder. She is in hiding and in fear of her life. According to Garry her whereabouts are known by Mark Lane.
Four members of the PT, Charles Touchette, Helen Swinney, Richard Janero [Janaro], and Philip Blakey left Guyana via a boat owned
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by the PT and are in Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. These people have been identified by ex-members as high functionaries in the PT.
News accounts indicate another boat owned by the PT, the Marceline, is missing.
While San Francisco has no specific knowledge these items are related to a conspiracy, the coincidence of these purportedly loyal members and high functionaries of the PT leaving just prior to Ryan’s murder, cannot be overlooked.
Numerous ham operators have informed us that the PT in Guyana and the PT in San Francisco were in frequent radio contact with each other on a continuing basis. An Air Force sergeant advised the Norfolk FBI that on September 11, 1977, that he monitored broadcasts, one of which seems important. It was the monitor’s opinion of the specific broadcast that the conversation dealt with the conspiracy of some sort and involved a chartered airline flight in which something might happen to the aircraft.
According to [name deleted] [Jackie Speier], aide to Ryan, Ryan began formulating plans to visit Jonestown in the early summer, 1978.
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This would give sufficient time for the conspiracy to be hatched.
Ex-members Al and Jean Mills advise that Tim Carter appeared at the Human Freedom Center two or three weeks prior to Ryan’s planned departure to Jonestown and had inquired of the Mills as to Ryan’s flight schedule. Carter alleged that he was a defector. [Speier] advised that Carter was back in Guyana upon her arrival.
Ex-members have advised that they were personally told by Jones that in the event of his arrest public officials were to be kidnapped.
Grace Stoen advised that guns over which she had inventory control were sent to the Temple in San Francisco and it is believed thereafter shipped via the Cudjoe, a boat owned by PT, to Jonestown.
According to [Speier], Ryan’s office received a curious call allegedly from Pan-American Airlines a few days prior to his departure. A female said she was making final arrangements for the flight including VIP treatment for Ryan and wanted to firm up the schedule and itinerary. We do not know at this time
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if this call was authentic or not.
According to Debbie Blakey, there were continual discussions at the instigation of Jones that if anyone came to Jonestown to take any of the children or other persons out of Jonestown, they would be ambushed and killed. Planning did take place for these ambushes to occur on the road out of Jonestown. Blakey gave an example that on one occasion Jones learned possibly through the radio broadcast, that someone was flying into the interior and would be landing at Port Kaituma airstrip and that he did not know who it was and wanted to find out. Jones sent a number of men along with weapons on a flatbed truck to the airship to determine their identities. Two other groups were sent out to await the people where they were to ambush them. Others were instructed to climb trees with rifles and telescopic sights to assist in the ambush.
Larry Layton, pretending to be a defector, went with the group from Jonestown to the airstrip where he ended up firing a weapon at the exiting parties.
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A newspaper reporter has advised this office that in an interview with an ex-member he was told that the ex-member had been in contact with Jones five weeks prior to the killing in an attempt to dissuade Jones from carrying out the plan to kill Ryan. Through the reporter, special agents have located this ex-member who at this time is not only denying he said that but denying that he is an ex-member. San Francisco is not putting much credence in this information at this time but will continue to pursue it.
News accounts indicate that a letter from attorney Mark Lane to Ryan warning him of dire consequences if he went to Guyana exists. San Francisco is attempting to locate that letter.
Upon the departure of concerned parents from San Francisco Airport en route to Guyana, two members of the San Francisco Temple have been identified as surveilling the group.
The above items are not in any order of importance in our consensus of information from the agents at San Francisco Command Post from summary teletypes received from other offices
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and investigation conducted at San Francisco. All of these points will be followed up upon the receipt of detailed 302s.
Armed and dangerous; suicidal tendencies.