[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 18 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE294162_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01
STATE 294162
ORIGIN ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 L-03 FBIE-00 SSO-00 CIAE-00 PA-01
TRSE-00 DODE-00 MCT-02 INR-10 INRE-00 SY-05 SYE-00
USSS-00 H-01 SS-15 NSCE-00 CCO-00 OC-06 JUSE-00
NSAE-00 ICAE-00 CG-00 DOTE-00 SCS-06 CA-01 /066 R
DRAFTED BY ARA;SSLEGHT
APPROVED BY ARA:JBUSHNELL
L/ARA:FORTUNE (DRAFT)
FBI:SHAFFER (PHONE)
GWG:RZIMMERMANN (DRAFT)
S/S-O – TGMARTIN
——————100797 202236Z /14
O 202058Z NOV 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
CINSOUTHCOM QUARRY HTS CZ
CINCMAC SCOTT AFB ILL
US REDCOM/RCJ2 MACDILL AFB FLA
USCINCARRED FT MCPHERSON GA
CDR 18TH AIRBORNE CORPS FT BRAGG NC
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 294162
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: CASC, OREP, GY
SUBJECT: GUYANA SITUATION
1. REPORTS AVAILABLE TO AMEMB GEORGETOWN SUGGEST POSSIBILITY THAT REVEREND JIM JONES AND/OR OTHER PT LEADERS MIGHT
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PAGE 02 STATE 294162
ATTEMPT TO LEAVE GUYANA BY BOAT.
2. BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ADVISE LOCAL AUTHORITIES OF THIS AND ALERT THEM TO POSSIBILITY THEY MIGHT SEEK TO LAND IN OR TRANSIT LOCAL TERRITORY.
3. FBI IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING TO SEE IF ANY VIOLATIONS OF US LAW HAVE OCCURRED. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONFIRM FROM GOG [GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA] WHETHER ARREST WARRANTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR JONES OR OTHERS, BUT FEEL SUCH ACTION IS PROBABLE.
VANCE [Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State]
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