Topaz - Leon Uris [85]
“I wanted to speak to you now for I must reveal to you a secret department in KGB responsible for the most ingenious and successful intelligence operation ever performed by the Soviet Union. I refer to the Department of Disinformation.”
They were studied but taut as he searched their faces for a response. Disinformation was unknown to them, just as his own anti-NATO Division had been.
“The Department of Disinformation is under the direction of a KGB officer named Sergei Mikeloff. The purpose of Disinformation is to invent and distort data and feed it into an enemy government through his own intelligence system. I repeat, through his own intelligence system. Topaz does our work inside SDECE. Let me impress upon you gentlemen, this is far more sophisticated and sinister than routine camouflage counterespionage operations.
“False data are invented in Moscow, passed to the Resident in Paris, and given to Topaz agents in the SDECE. From there the information is filtered into the ministries, the Cabinet, or wherever we want it. These lies, stamped with the seal of authenticity by SDECE, are briefed to President La Croix by the man known as Columbine.”
“How many times have you worked this?”
“Dozens. Tens of dozens. Nowhere as successfully as in France, the weak link. During the Algerian crisis we were able to implant reports inside the French Cabinet to the effect that the CIA owned the Pepsi-Cola franchise in Algeria as well as several newspapers and used these as fronts to feed money to the Algerian rebels. As you know, gentlemen, many Frenchmen believe America is responsible for Algeria. This is largely the work of Disinformation.
“Last year,” Kuznetov continued, “during the Generals’ Revolt in Algeria, Soviet Disinformation was able to establish enormous confusion about the threat of the Algerian French generals to land in Paris with paratroops and take over metropolitan France. The reaction of the American President was to offer aid. Thanks to Soviet Disinformation, this offer was interpreted by La Croix as an American attempt to meddle in a French internal affair, even as a springboard to introduce large numbers of American forces into metropolitan France.
“And so it goes. When President La Croix travels from France, often Soviet Disinformation is fed to him to the effect that the Americans are undermining his visits and plotting anti-French demonstrations. He is positive it is the work of the CIA.
“As you know, La Croix has very bad eyes and cannot read long documents. Therefore he depends greatly on verbal briefings. This makes him particularly vulnerable. We see to it he gets our share through Columbine.”
“Who is he?” André demanded.
“Who knows?” Kuznetov said. “He may be in SDECE, the Cabinet, the military. I only know if we want Disinformation to reach La Croix, he gets it.”
“My God,” Michael Nordstrom blurted inadvertently.
“Kuznetov,” Marshall McKittrick said tersely, “did you use Disinformation against us at Suez?”
Boris Kuznetov smiled. “You are getting the picture. It was one of our greatest triumphs.”
“Of course!” André cried. “Of course! It was the only way, Marsh. We were tricked.”
In the hallway, Marshall McKittrick pulled Nordstrom aside. “Get this transcript to me at the White House immediately,” he said with obvious alarm.
14
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES reread his letter to the President of France.
The White House
October 20, 1962
DEAR PRESIDENT LA CROIX,
Sources we consider completely reliable have made us aware of a situation of such gravity I am taking the unusual step of writing this single-copy letter, which will be delivered by my Special Assistant Marshall McKittrick.
We have been informed of the existence of a vast espionage network of French citizens employed as agents of the Soviet Union. This network operates under the code name of Topaz. It appears they have been successful in deeply infiltrating all branches of government, particularly your Secret Service.
Employing a unique method termed “Disinformation,