Nov 23, 78 • 1715 • Port of Spain-State • 3373

[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 230 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/1978PORTO03373_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]

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PORT O 03373 231723Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 FBIE-00 SCS-06 CA-01 H-01 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 JUSE-00 SY-05 SSO-00 INRE-00 SYE-00 DODE-00 /039 W
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O 231715Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 3276
AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN NIACT IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PORT OF SPAIN 03373
E. O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), TD
SUBJECT: MEMBERS OF PEOPLES’ TEMPLE IN PORT OF SPAIN

REFERENCE: A) STATE 295989; (B) PORT OF SPAIN 3371; (C) PORT OF SPAIN 3372

1. WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEEK GOTT [GOVERNMENT OF TRINIDAD/TOBAGO] APPROVAL FOR FBI VISIT (REFS A AND B). IN THE EVENT OF A NEGATIVE DECISION, WE WONDER WHETHER FBI/DEPARTMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO FINANCE TRIP BY ANY OR ALL FOUR (ONE IS A NON-US CITIZEN) OF THE PEOPLES’ TEMPLE MEMBERS CURRENTLY IN PORT OF SPAIN. WE ARE NOT CERTAIN ANYONE AGREE TO SUCH A PROPOSAL – WE HAVE NOT SUGGESTED IT – BUT THE THREE AMERICANS ARE STILL EXPRESSING WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE. AS REPORTED REF C, HOWEVER, ONE OR MORE OF THE AMERICANS MAY DECIDE TO ACCOMPANY THE BRITISH MEMBER TO BARBADOS ABOARD THE ALBATROSS III ON SATURDAY. PLEASE ADVISE.

2. FOR BARBADOS: AMBASSADOR FOX IS AT AIRPORT AND IS NOT SEEN THIS MESSAGE. PLEASE PASS UPON HIS ARRIVAL.

FOX [Richard J. Fox, Jr., American Ambassador to Trinidad]

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