false flags
Manufactured enemy attacks
False flags are operations designed to appear as though conducted by someone other than the actual perpetrator—originally naval deceptions where ships flew enemy flags before attacking.
The term now applies to any staged event meant to deceive about its true source: Critics claimed the attack was a false flag to justify military intervention.
In conspiracy culture, false flag has become a reflexive accusation that any publicized atrocity was secretly orchestrated by governments or shadowy forces.
Crime with insider help
- cover-upHiding wrongdoing from public
- deep stateCovert governmental power structure
- psyopsStrategic manipulation of adversaries' thinking
- shadow governmentConcealed parallel authority structure
truthers · disinformation · propaganda · controlled opposition · black ops · covert operations · whistleblower · crisis actors
Intentional focus manipulation
- diversionRedirection of attention
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
feint · ploy · ruse · decoy · bait · planted evidence · scapegoat · framing
Act that triggers response
- casus belliJustification for armed conflict
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- covert operationUnacknowledged governmental action
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
sabotage · counterintelligence · infiltration · incursion · Gulf of Tonkin · planted evidence · agent provocateur
inside job
Crime with insider help
- cover-upHiding wrongdoing from public
- deep stateCovert governmental power structure
- psyopsStrategic manipulation of adversaries' thinking
shadow government · truthers · disinformation · propaganda · controlled opposition · black ops · covert operations · whistleblower · crisis actors · hoax
misdirection
Intentional focus manipulation
- diversionRedirection of attention
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
distraction · feint · ploy · ruse · decoy · bait · planted evidence · scapegoat · framing · blame-shifting
provocation
Act that triggers response
- casus belliJustification for armed conflict
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- covert operationUnacknowledged governmental action
espionage · sabotage · counterintelligence · infiltration · incursion · Gulf of Tonkin · planted evidence · agent provocateur
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- Conspiraciesconspiracy, deep state, new world order, chemtrails, flat earth
- disinformationdisinformation, misinformation, misinformation campaigns, fake news, propaganda
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
- data destructionshredding, shredder, incineration, degaussing, overwriting