[Editor’s note: This is a State Department cable that was included in the FBI’s 2009 RYMUR release of documents under the Freedom of Information Act. It was not included in the State Department’s own release, but we have included identifying information for it using the agency’s designations.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978BERN06182_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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BERN 06182 151532Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 IO-14 ISO-00 JUSE-00 L-03 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 INRE-00 SSO-00 SS-15 NSCE-00 PA-01 TRSE-00 FBIE-00 /071 W
——————017708 151545Z /47
O 151500Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7410
INFO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BONN IMMEDIATE
AMCONSUL MUNICH IMMEDIATE
USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
USICA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE BERN 6182
DEPT PASS JUSTICE
EO 12065: N/A
TAGS: EFIN, SZ
SUBJ: PEOPLES TEMPLE FUNDS IN SWITZERLAND
REF: BERN 6149
1. We now hear from Swiss federal authorities that Charig, Justice rep in Munich, has been in touch with local authorities in Zurich seeking to obtain freezing of accounts.
2. Local authorities referred matter to federal authorities who told them to take no action pending assurances of submission of a formal request in accordance with US/Swiss treaty on mutual assistance in criminal matters.
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3. We understand that Charig may be enroute [en route] to Zurich. This communication by Charig and, if true, his unannounced arrival in Switz, could well embarrass us in this matter, since Swiss expect official communication via proper authority before enforcement officials undertake activities in this country.
Warner [Marvin L. Warner, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland]
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