ating in the jungles of Guyana the agricultural community Jonestown. What finally drove him there together with the of his flock in mid-1977 was the publication of a New West article which exposed many of his operations, a fact which part of the alleged mounting conspiracy against him.

TACTICS OF JIM JONES

tal deviations and distortions and the psychological tactics ninated and were most manifest in the holocaust of Jonesovember 18 were rooted in Indiana and perfected in Caliho and what was Jim Jones? We believe it is accurate to s charismatic in some respects; in fact, he was especially le area of human psychology.

ave studied him and interviewed those who knew him well ome under his influence, we have concluded that he was oremost a master of mind control. Among the tactics he with engineered precision are the following recognized of brainwashing (for further elaboration, see Appendix classified version only):

on from all vestiges of former life, including and especially rces of information, and substituting himself as the single of all knowledge, wisdom, and information;

acting daily regimen requiring absolute obedience and ty extracted by deception, intimidation, threats, and nent;

al pressure, ranging from deprivation of food and sleep to ssibility and reality of severe beatings. As a complement physical pressures, he exerted mental pressures on his folwhich he subsequently relieved in an effort to demonstrate ablish his omnipotent "powers." For example, he inculctional fears which he would eventually counterpoint and and thereby establish himself as a "savior." One of his e tactics was to generate and then exploit a sense of guilt ging to life's luxuries, for wanting special privileges, and ing recognition and reward;

ed "struggle meetings" or catharsis sessions in which recalmembers were interrogated, required to confess their doing," and then punished with alternate harshness and 7. Interrogation could be gentle and polite, but more often ved harassment, humiliation, revilement, and degradation. this strategy were two of Jones' favorite techniques. The volved an exhaustive and detailed record for each member file cards and generated by his vast intelligence network. ber would suddenly be confronted by Jones with knowlsome action he was unaware had been observed. Jones tage his "mystic" awareness of that action and then direct ome to his desired end. The second technique was to estabeach of his followers a mistrust of everyone else. Conseno one dared voice a negative view-even to the closest member or friend-for fear of being turned in. Often as sted aides were directed to test individuals by expressing

some comment critical of Jones or the lifestyle in Jonestown to see if that person would report the incident. The end result was that no one person could trust another. As a result everyone feared expressing even the slightest negative comment. The system was so effective that children turned in their own parents, brothers informed on sisters, and husbands and wives reported on spouses. Inherent in these principles which Mr. Jones masterfully and regularly employed was his central strategy of "divide and conquer" through which he consolidated his power over people.

In addition to these tactics, however, Mr. Jones regularly used other devices and methods to achieve his ends:

—Requiring People's Temple members to contribute as much as 25 percent of their income and sign over to the People's Temple their properties and other assets;

-At times dictating marriage between unwilling partners and at other times not allowing cohabitation between married couples; -Undermining and breaking a child's ties with parents. In progressive degrees the child was led to mistrust the parents and become more and more secretive in his actions and evasive to his parent's questions;

As a symbol of their trust in him, followers were required to sign statements admitting homosexuality, theft, and other self` incriminating acts; often as not People's Temple members would also sign blank pages which could be filled in later. Depending on Jones' need or objective, such documents were frequently used in attempts to defame defectors:

-Rumor spreading in an attempt to ruin reputations or generally implant disinformation, thereby making the true facts difficult if not impossible to establish;

-Infiltration of groups opposed to People's Temple and surveilance of suspected People's Temple enemies;

-Intense public relations efforts ranging from letter-writing campaigns to attempted control of news media in an effort to influence. public opinion with a favorable image of People's Temple; likewise, an aggressive program of seeking out political leaders and other influential members of a community in order to cull their favor and establish identification with them.

In the process of manipulating the control board of this extraordinary system Jones suffered extreme paranoia. One can speculate that while it may have been initially staged, his paranoia ultimately became a self-created Frankenstein that led not only to his fall but the tragic death of more than 900 others, including Representative Leo J. Ryan. His paranoia ranged from "dark unnamed forces," to individuals such as Tim Stoen and other defectors from the People's Temple, to organizations such as the Concerned Relatives group, and ultimately to the U.S. Government in the form of the CIA and the FBI-all of which he ultimately believed were out to destroy him.

Further, in establishing this analysis of Jim Jones it is worth noting that he apparently had several bisexual perversions. Finally, there is some irony in the fact that although he controlled considerable wealth (estimated at $12 million) he sought out special privileges but none

al trappings of wealth such as fancy cars or expensive short, Mr. Jones was more interested in ideas than in things. >t driven by greed for money but for power and control ›. That control continues to be exerted even after his death ds of some of his followers. It is graphically illustrated by of Michael Prokes, one of Jones' closest associates, during a 1979, press conference in California in which he defended cited the achievements of People's Temple and Jonestown.

MOTIVATION OF PEOPLE'S TEMPLE MEMBERS

cs and techniques of Jim Jones outlined above found fertile I were greatly facilitated because of the background and of those who joined People's Temple (for further elaborapendix III-A-2 in classified version only). Generalities, of always difficult if not dangerous. However, on the basis mation which has come to us in the course of this investiga1 draw the following general profile of many who became mple members and followers of Jim Jones:

of the young adults were college graduates out of upperclass backgrounds which provided privilege and even Their parents were often college-educated professionals or es. Frequently, their families were active in demonstraainst the Vietnam war, campaigns for racial equality, and ocial causes. In some cases, the young People's Temple had been alienated by the "emptiness" of his family's

r number, especially young blacks, had their roots in the nd of the American social and economic spectrum. The s of poor ghetto neighborhoods and limited education, d been drug addicts, prostitutes, and street hustlers.

greater percentage were elderly, again predominately ho had come out of the San Francisco ghetto. They found Jones an abiding and protective concern. Despite the ss of life in Jonestown, they regarded it as preferable to · housing they had left behind. They also found a warm family and acceptance within the People's Temple comthat they did not have before joining.

y number of middle-class blacks and whites came out of undamentalist religious family backgrounds and were atby what they saw as the evangelical nature of People's

ast, many of the younger people had little if any religious on in joining People's Temple. Rather, they tended to be d by humanitarian interests. Altruistic and idealistic, e impressed by Jones' involvement in social causes and y saw as the "political sophistication" of People's Temple. xtent that a religious motivation was involved, it was seen terms of Jones' seeming concrete application of Judeoprinciples. Over time, the dimension of their motivation only nonsectarian but eventually became embodied in the Marxist-agnostic philosophy which Jones espoused.

PEOPLE'S TEMPLE AS A "CHURCH"

Out of the findings outlined above regarding Jim Jones and members of his People's Temple, emerges one additional finding. It relates to the question of whether or not People's Temple was a "church" in the generally accepted sense of that word. Again, on the basis of testimony and compelling evidence collected in the course of this investigation we offer the following conclusion on that question:

--Although People's Temple may have been a bona fide church in its Indiana and early California origins, it progressively lost that characterization in almost every respect. Rather, by 1972 and following in progressive degrees, it evolved into what could be described as a sociopolitical movement. Under the direction and inspiration of its founder and director and the Marxist-LeninistCommunist philosophy he embraced, People's Temple was in the end a Socialist structure devoted to socialism. Despite that fact, People's Temple continued to enjoy the tax-exempt status it received in 1962 under Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations. (See Appendix III-A-3.) The issue of People's Temple's status as a "church" is also significant in connection with First Amendment protections it sought and received. Obviously, the latter issue is a difficult and complex matter beyond the purview of this committee and its investigation.

Also outside the parameters of this committee's inquiry is whether in fact People's Temple was a "cult." Once again, recognizing that the problem is complex and laced with emotions and strong connotative overtones, the committee's investigation went only to the extent of seeking the opinions of respected legal scholars. (See Appendix II-A-3.)

B. Conspiracy Against Jim Jones and People's Temple?

Was there a conspiracy against Jim Jones perpetrated by the U.S. Government or some other organization? That was one of the questions on which the Staff Investigative Group attempted to obtain evidence during the course of this inquiry (for further elaboration see Appendix III-B-1 in classified version only). On the basis of the information received, the following findings are offered:

-Jones' idea that there were elements opposed to his views and objectives dates back to his early days in Indiana. In fact, it was the adverse reaction he encountered relative to his racial integration and other policies that led him to establish his own church. the People's Temple.

-When the People's Temple relocated in Ukiah, Calif. in 1965 Jones' complaints of opposition increased. They ranged in progressive degree from alleged vandalism against People's Temple property, poisoning of his pets, and various threats against Jones. to a shooting attack on Jones' life (from which he "miraculously" recovered by his own power). No substantiation was ever found on any of these complaints reported to and investigated by Ukiah police.

-The mood of Jones' allegations of anti-People's Temple conspiracy grew darker when the group moved to San Francisco in 1972. At that time its chief target was the media as well as unspecified

Reported attempts to dissuade Jones from the notion parently unsuccessful.

idea of a U.S. Government plot against him, embodied in the CIA and FBI, took full bloom after he and the TES People's Temple members moved to Guyana in 1977. Opof the Concerned Relatives group was eventual attrib CIA backing as were periodic "alerts" he called to pro People's Temple Jonestown community from merstaties ungle around Jonestown.

wo lawyers offer contradictory opinions on the quest ing ssible conspiracy against People's Temple and Jones For e. Mark Lane told the committee's invest garoth. no doubt in my mind that various people sough onestown and that people in various governme lated Jones. Jones, himself, saw the efforts to o an overreaction but somehow he was ra responses * * *. I believe that a respons the Congress would seek to determine within the United States Government 15

e Department withheld from Congressman Kian and the us who accompanied him to Jonestown the fas e place was an armed camp and that Jo

g the Congressman and many others." On ***$*g* Garry said: "*** I want to unequivo

and a half since July 1977. with the year o

ad with governmental conspiracy and gosz particularly the FBI, I found no evidence to

harges that were made by People's Tempe. I found va e to support any of that."

g the strong likelihood of Jones' parano a complet manipulative abilities. Jones staged and econ spiracy as a means of generating fear

gaining further control over them. The a
y opponents on the defensive and even at
sensitizing the U.S. Embassy in G.Tara.
-lusive evidence is available to indicate that

ng information on Mr. Jones or People's Tombe. In tol
nnection it should be noted that under Los Gat
f February 18, 1976 and 1236 of January 24. 1
ix III-B-2), which prohibit in

ga poverty o izens, the CIA was legally proties from g ivities vis-a-vis People's Temple. partment of Justice, on the one hand la indrand w Investigative Group that the FBI a dlook 216 21 2 from a constituent of Senator S L Hanakama that i as coaxing individuals into traveling to Gungor Gy ere they were being held agalzs their will for unicowa "The FBI interviewed the constituent, but found that res of the constituent had traveled to Gujana voluntar..y. evidence of forced confinement was developed." The inion was therespon terminated because no violation of eral kidnaping statute had occurred."

Investigative Group was also informed by the Criminal the Justice Department that it received a "citizen com