Airtel
11/29/78
To: Director, FBI (89-4286)
From: SAC, San Antonio (89-242) (P)
Subject: RYMUR (A)
Reference San Francisco pillow talk to the Bureau, November 22, 1978.
On 11/24/78, an anonymous individual telephonically contacted the San Antonio Office and made available the information set forth below. It is noted for the information of recipients that the caller appeared stable, well educated, and gave the impression of having firsthand knowledge of the People’s Temple Colony in Guyana. The caller declined to identify himself and stated that he had made available the following information solely for lead purposes in furthering the FBI’s investigation into this matter.
The Reverend JAMES WARREN JONES was engaged in skimming money from the People’s Temple operation, but did not countenance other illegal activities in which other People’s Temple members were engaged. The caller believed that JONES was, in fact, a legitimate religious leader who may have acted “above the law” in his desire to further the ends of his religious group.
The caller stated that the murder suicide in Guyana resulted from a power struggle within the People’s Temple. Jones had discovered that various illegal activities
SA 89-242
were being conducted under the guise of the People’s Temple Colony in Guyana. The caller alleged that Guyanese Customs Inspectors had been suborned to allow a free flow of weapons, drugs, persons and money illegally across the borders of Guyana. The money itself was unreported income skimmed from the People’s Temple operations.
The anonymous caller reiterated that JONES, upon learning of the aforementioned illegalities, attempted to put an end to them and in doing so brought about the ultimate mass murder-suicide in Guyana.
San Antonio will make available additional information from this caller should he recontact the San Antonio Office.