[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE293764_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 STATE 293764
ORIGIN SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 IO-15 ISO-00 ARA-15 H-02 SSO-00 CA-01 /052 R
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS:JWARD:BB
APPROVED BY ARA/JGRIFFITH
S/S-O:JTHYDEN
——————093396 191842Z /50
O 191819Z NOV 78 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION GENEVA NIACT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BERN NIACT IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS STATE 293764
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CGEN, CASC
SUBJECT: URGENT MESSAGE FOR MIKE FINLEY, STAFF DIRECTOR HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE INTERNATIONALOPERATIONS, EUR ADMINISTRATOR’S CONFERENCE.
CONGRESSMAN LEO RYAN KILLED IN GUYANA WHILE ON OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE. AMBUSHED AND SHOT WHILE BOARDING PLANE TO DEPART RURAL LOCATION. MEMBERS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE ALLEGED TO BE PERPETRATORS. GUYANESE POLICE AND MILITARY ON SCENE. U.S. AIR FORCE C-141 MEDI-VAC PLANE IN GEORGETOWN. TOTAL 5 CONFIRMED DEAD INCLUDING TWO NBC NEWS PERSONNEL, ONE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE REPORTER.
VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]
UNCLASSIFIED
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