All of us who try to separate fact from fiction should be acquainted with this term/technique
The LIMITED HANGOUT
en.wikipedia.org
According to
Victor Marchetti, a former special assistant to the
Deputy Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a limited hangout is "spy jargon for a favorite and frequently used gimmick of the clandestine professionals. When their veil of secrecy is shredded and they can no longer rely on a phony cover story to misinform the public, they resort to admitting—sometimes even volunteering—some of the truth while still managing to withhold the key and damaging facts in the case. The public, however, is usually so intrigued by the new information that it never thinks to pursue the matter further."
[1][2] While used by the CIA and other intelligence organizations, the tactic has become popularized in the corporate and political spheres.
[3]
