Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Communication Message Form
Date: November 24, 1978
Classification: Unclas
Precedence: Immediate
FM DIRECTOR, FBI
TO FBI BALTIMORE (IMMEDIATE)
PERSONAL ATTENTION
FBI COLUMBIA (IMMEDIATE)
PERSONAL ATTENTION
FBI SAN FRANCISCO (IMMEDIATE)
PERSONAL ATTENTION
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR.
Rebutelcal to Columbia November 23, 1978 and Butelcal to Baltimore November 24, 1978.
For information, FBI Disaster Squad is in place at Dover Air Force Base (DAFB), Dover, Delaware, processing deceased victims returning from Guyana. Disaster Squad has advised that a “suicide note” was discovered on the body of Reverend Jim Jones which was seized by a representative of State Department
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and forwarded to OSI. Baltimore is to immediately dispatch agent personnel to DAFB and seize all appropriate physical evidence. Above “suicide note” is to be located and seized. Baltimore secure Bureau interests at Dover, Delaware.
To date, Government of Guyana now holds 78 survivors of Jonestown incident. It is expected that first group of approximately 24 individuals will be released to travel to the United States on November 24, 1978, and will comprise those considered “non-problem” and very elderly. Remaining survivors continue under investigation and are being detained in Guyana.
State Department has advised that all returning Americans will be processed through Charleston Air Force Base (CAFB), Charleston, South Carolina, on either Friday or Saturday next. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) will provide food, housing, clothing and medical care immediately following the arrival of survivors. HEW will rent a motel for the purpose of allowing survivors to take care of immediate personal needs and thereafter survivors will be available individually in their motel rooms for interview by the FBI. Following interviews, HEW will process all individuals
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through Customs and Immigration and thereafter provide for their reunification with their families.
Columbia is to insure that a viable contingency plan is developed which should include representatives of U.S. Secret Service (USSS), HEW, military, State Department, U.S. Marshals Service, and local authorities. Columbia should insure the presence of sufficient SA manpower to promptly interview all returning Americans in a secure atmosphere at the selected motel. This operation is to be considered a critical phase of a major ongoing law enforcement action and, as such, all unauthorized persons including representatives of the news media are to be barred from the area surrounding the motel.
Columbia is to insure that legitimate interests of the USSS are accommodated which would include any allegations that acts of violence by Peoples Temple members may be carried out in the future against U.S. public officials.
Columbia insure that all interviews thoroughly develop but not be limited to the facts surrounding the assassination of Congressman Ryan and his party and any conspiracy which may exist in both the United States and Guyana. Columbia promptly
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submit FD-302s reflecting results of interviews conducted to San Francisco and to FBI HQ.
The Columbia Division operation is to be handled under the personal direction of the SAC.
San Francisco immediately coordinate with the U.S. attorney’s office and determine if it is desired that subpoenas be issued for individuals returning at CAFB. If subpoenas are forthcoming, they should be immediately issued and hand carried to CAFB for service by FBI agents at time of interview.
BT