[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978BERN06149_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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BERN 06149 151357Z
ACTION ARA-15
INFO OCT-01 EUR-12 IO-14 ISO-00 L-03 JUSE-00 CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 INRE-00 SSO-00 SS-15 NSCE-00 PA-01 TRSE-00 /071 W
——————016770 151359Z /43
O 151310Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7404
INFO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
USICA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMCONSUL ZURICH POUCH
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DEPT PASS JUSTICE EO
12065: NA
TAGS: EFIN, SZ
SUBJ: PEOPLES TEMPLE FUNDS IN SWITZERLAND
REF: USICA 39401
1. EMBASSY PAO HAS ALSO RECEIVED CALLS FROM PRESS WITH REPORT ALONG LINES OF REFTEL.
2. ON INSTRUCTION FROM JUSTICE, LEGATT HAS BEEN EXPLORING STATUS OF ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLES TEMPLE IN SWISS BANKS, SEEKING FORMULA UNDER WHICH WE COULD GET SWISS TO FREEZE FUNDS.
3. SWISS POLICE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF ALL INFORMATION ON ACCOUNTS AS WELL AS CONTENTS OF REFTEL. SWISS FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE TOLD AMBASSADOR THEY HAVE ISSUED LOOKOUT TO POLICE ON REPORTED VISITORS AND INFORMED BANKS OF FACTS, INCLUDING POINTING OUT POSSIBLE
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BERN 06149 151357Z
DAMAGE TO BANKS’ PUBLIC IMAGE IF FUNDS WERE RELEASED.
4. WE HAVE NO INFORMATION AS YET AS TO PRESENCE OF TRIO IN SWITZERLAND, BUT WILL REPORT ANYTHING WE HEAR.
5. WE NEED MOST URGENTLY OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM JUSTICE CONFIRMING THAT REQUEST WILL BE MADE UNDER JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE TREATY FOR FREEZING OF FUNDS. THERE IS PROBLEM OF CONNECTING RYAN ASSASSINATION AND SUICIDE WITH FUNDS.
6. WE URGE MOST RAPID ACTION ON THIS MATTER TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM SUCCESSFULLY WITHDRAWING THESE FUNDS.
WARNER [Marvin L. Warner, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland]
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