"You believed old Abdul-Ali of Damascus?
He's a French secret political agent.

So whatever he told us is certainly not true.

Or, if it is true, or partially true, then it's the kind of truth that is deadlier deceptive than a good clean God-damned lie.

Get this: such men as Abdul Ali would face torture rather than betray an associate--unless they're sure the associate is a traitor or about to become one.

A government can't easily punish its own spies on foreign territory.