[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1977GEORGE02206_c.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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PAGE 01 GEORGE 02206 121202Z
ACTION SCS-05
INFO OCT-01 ARA-14 ISO-00 CA-01 L-03 H-02 FBIE-00 DHA-05 NSCE-00 SSO-00 /031 W
——————057906 121204Z /43
O 121110Z SEP 77
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5288
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 2206
DEPT. PLEASE PASS ARA/CAR TUMMINIA
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC (STOEN, JOHN)
SUBJECT: W/W JOHN V. STOEN
REF: GEORGETOWN 2175
1. US ATTORNEY HAAS AND GUYANESE COURT MARSHAL INFORMED CONSUL ON SEPTEMBER 9 THAT FURTHER ATTEMPT BY GUYANESE COURT MARSHALL TO SERVE SUMMONS ON PEOPLE’S TEMPLE LEADER JIM JONES WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HAAS STATED THAT HE ACCOMPANIED COURT MARSHAL AND TWO POLICE OFFICERS TO JONESTOWN WHERE GROUP MET WITH HOSTILE RECEPTION.
2. COURT MARSHAL RELATED TO CONSUL THAT REPRESENTATIVE OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE REFUSED TO ACCEPT SUMMONS, AND WHEN MARSHAL AS INSTRUCTED BY COURT NAILED THREE COPIES OF THE SUMMONS ON DIFFERENT BUILDINGS THEY WERE TORN DOWN BY PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBER AND THROWN BACK INTO THE GROUP’S LAND ROVER. MARSHAL ALSO ATTEMPTED TO SERVE ADDITIONAL COPY OF THE SUMMONS ON PEOPLE’S TEMPLE REP., BUT SHE REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT. THE SUMMONS FELL ON THE GROUND AND MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE THEN ACCUSED THE GROUP OF LITTERING THE AREA WITH QUOTE GARBAGE AND TRASH UNQUOTE. AT THIS POINT THE GROUP WITHDREW.
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AGE 02 GEORGE 02206 121202Z
3. CONSUL WAS PRESENT AT COURT HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 10. NO MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE APPEARED NOR WERE ANY OF THEIR LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WHO HAS JURISDICTION IN THIS CASE BECAME VISIBLY ANGRY WHEN COURT MARSHAL RELATED SCENARIO TO HIM. HE ISSUED ORDER FOR THE ARREST OF THE CHILD JOHN STOEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRING HIM INTO CUSTODY OF THE COURT IN GEORGETOWN. HE FURTHER DIRECTED JONES TO BE SUMMONED TO APPEAR IN COURT TO SHOW CAUSE WHY HE SHOULD NOT BE HELD IN CONTEMPT, AND FINALLY IF JONES FAILS TO APPEAR HE WILL BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FORTHWITH.
4. IN UNRELATED ISSUE, HAAS TOLD CONSUL THAT HE, HAAS, HAD BEEN INFORMED BY HIS CLIENT DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION ON SEPTEMBER 9, THAT JONES ATTORNEY CHARLES GARRY ANNOUNCED TO THE PRESS IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT JONES PLANS A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SUIT AGAINST THE USG FOR CONSPIRACY. HAAS HAD NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS. HAAS ALSO CLAIMED THAT HIS CLIENT TOLD HIM THAT THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE HAD RELEASED A STATEMENT TO THE PRESS ABOUT AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON JONES SHORTLY AFTER HAAS GROUP LEFT JONESTOWN ON SEPTEMBER 6. WHEN PRESSED BY ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE AT JONESTOWN ABOUT THIS ALLEGED ATTEMPT, PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS HASTILY BACKTRACKED BECAUSE THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY MAINTAINED JONES HAD NOT BEEN IN THE AREA ON SEPTEMBER 6.
5. CONSUL INTENDS TO INFORM DIRECTOR SCA, AND OTHER ACCOMPANYING SCS OFFICIALS OF CASE AT PORT OF SPAIN CONSULAR CONFERENCE.
BLACKEN [Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission John Blacken]
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