Serial 475

[Editor’s note: The subject of this serial whose name is deleted is former Temple member Jim Cobb. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type.]

United States Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Memorandum
Date: 11/24/78
To: Mr. Moore
From: J. O. Ingram

Subject: RYMUR

DAILY SUMMARY

The question of venue in this matter has arisen as we near the issue of anticipated prosecutions. Departmental Attorney Mike Abbell rendered the opinion that pursuant to 18 U.S. Code 3238, venue in this matter would lie primarily where the subjects are first found to be in the United States if the crime was committed extra-territorially. In this particular case, venue would lie in the Federal District of South Carolina.

Leads have been set forth to locate and interview attorneys Mark Lane, believed to be in Memphis, Tennessee, and Charles Garry, believed to be in San Francisco, California. The U.S. Attorney (USA), San Francisco, who has rendered the opinion that he also has jurisdiction in California inasmuch is that is the last known US residence of the subjects, has stated that he is initiating a Federal Grand Jury inquiry into this matter in San Francisco, however, at this time, has declined to issue subpoenas to be served upon Lane and Garry when interviewed by the FBI. Similarly, issuance of subpoenas for all returning Americans at Charleston, South Carolina, was also declined.

Requests are pending with the Governments of Trinidad and Guyana for the purpose of allowing FBI Agents to enter those countries to conduct interviews in this matter. To date, no reply has been received from these Governments.

The Military Command Center has advised that the body count now stands at approximately 800 dead, rather than the original 409 body count. All bodies, however, will be processed through a singular location, Dover Air Force Base (DAFB), Dover, Delaware. The FBI Disaster Squad will process all bodies returned.

Ingram to Moore Memorandum
RE: RYMUR

The motel that has been reserved by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) for reception of Americans being repatriated is the Northpoint Inn located approximately 1/4 mile from Charleston Air Force Base (CAFB), Charleston, South Carolina. Local authorities are providing assistance to seal off the motel from unauthorized persons. Representatives of the U.S. Marshals Service will be transported to Guyana from CAFB to provide civilian law enforcement authority to the military airlift of returning Americans. A request by the FBI has been made to Immigration and Customs officials to insure the processing of all individuals by those agencies including fingerprinting and photographing of all individuals being returned to the United States.

USA, San Francisco, has authorized the filing of the complaint before the U.S. Magistrate in San Francisco charging the following individuals with a violation of the conspiracy paragraph of the Congressional Assassination Statute (18 USC Code 351) (d): Larry Layton, Bob Kice, Tom Kice, Joe Wilson, Albert Touchette, Eddie Crenshaw, Wesley Breidenbach, Ron James, Ron Tally [Talley], Stanley Gieb [Gieg].

The above complaints in support of arrest warrants are based upon the identification of these individuals as those being responsible for the shooting of Congressman Ryan and his party by [deleted name] [Jim Cobb], a former member of the Peoples Temple who [two lines related to Jim Cobb withheld]. At 3:45 pm, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert L. Keuch, Criminal Division, announced the Department would proceed with arrests. The arrest warrants will be handcarried to CAFB by two San Francisco Agents and an Assistant USA (AUSA) from the San Francisco Office who will accompany [Cobb] who has already been placed in the Witness Protection Program. [Cobb] will personally identified individuals named in the warrants and the warrants will be served at Charleston, South Carolina, on those individuals returning to the U.S. It is, however, recognized that some individuals may either be held in custody in Guyana or may in fact began.

The Charleston Command Post under the personal direction of Columbia SAC Charles J. Devic has been established at the Northbrook Motel and SAC Devic has been made aware of the above information.

Investigation continues.

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