DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
COMMUNICATION MESSAGE FORM
DATE: 11/29/78
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLAS E F T O
PRECEDENCE: IMMEDIATE
FM DIRECTOR FBI
TO FBI SAN FRANCISCO IMMEDIATE
PERSONAL ATTENTION
FBI COLUMBIA IMMEDIATE
PERSONAL ATTENTION
FBI NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
PERSONAL ATTENTION
BT
UNCLAS E F T O
RYMUR
FBI HQ is in receipt of a Western Union telegram from Joseph Fretas [Freitas], Junior, District Attorney, San Francisco, California. A copy of this telegram was furnished your office. Mr. Fretas seeks Bureau cooperation to conduct joint interviews of repatriating Americans returning from Guyana.
You or your designated representative should immediately contact Mr. Fretas and acknowledge receipt of telegram. You
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are requested to tactfully decline to have investigators from Mr. Fretas’ office conduct joint interviews in this matter with FBI agents, inasmuch as returning survivors already will be interviewed jointly by representatives of the FBI and U.S. Secret Service and they will be processed by Customs and Immigration Services. Representatives of the State Department and Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) will also be involved in the processing and any additional agencies could create unnecessary confusion.
You are to assure Mr. Fretas that should any violations of state or local California laws be uncovered during interviews, the facts relating to these violations will be immediately furnished to Mr. Fretas. You should also inform Mr. Fretas that the FBI does not intend in any way to inhibit him from conducting any interviews that he deems necessary following the processing of the survivors by federal authorities.
BT
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Note: Western Union telegram received 11/29/78 as above confirms that the office of the District Attorney at San Francisco, California, is conducting an investigation into possible California criminal law violations by present and former members of the Peoples Temple. In this regard, Mr. Fretas requested that his investigators conduct joint interviews of survivors returning from Guyana with the FBI. Reply coordinated and concurred in by San Francisco Command Post, ASAC Lawler.