NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

NAVAL

POSTGRADUATE

SCHOOL

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

THESIS

GREECE AND THE MIGRANT CRISIS: THE THREAT

OF FOREIGN TERRORIST FIGHTERS

by

Athansios R. Varvoutis

June 2018

Thesis Advisor:

Second Reader:

David S. Yost

Mohammed M. Hafez

Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

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1. AGENCY USE ONLY

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2. REPORT DATE

June 2018

3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED

Master's thesis

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

GREECE AND THE MIGRANT CRISIS: THE THREAT OF FOREIGN

TERRORIST FIGHTERS

5. FUNDING NUMBERS

6. AUTHOR(S) Athansios R. Varvoutis

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

8. PERFORMING

Naval Postgraduate School

ORGANIZATION REPORT

Monterey, CA 93943-5000

NUMBER

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10. SPONSORING /

ADDRESS(ES)

MONITORING AGENCY

N/A

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11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the

official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

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12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

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13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words)

Since the June 2014 establishment of the ¡°caliphate¡± by the Islamic State, there has been an alarming

increase in the number of terrorist attacks in Europe. Concurrently, wave after wave of migrants from

war-torn countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have landed on Greek shores¡ªand the shores of

other southern European countries¡ªin search of safety and freedom. Could the increased number of

migrants entering Europe have any correlation to the greater incidence of terrorist attacks in Europe? This

thesis considers the effects of the Islamic State sending trained operatives, including foreign terrorist

fighters, into Europe through Greece disguised as migrants. This thesis also explores the impacts of the

migrant crisis on the Greek government and society. Further, it analyzes the security implications for the

European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This thesis concludes that if

Greece, the EU, and NATO policies remain unrevised, the migrant crisis will continue to present grave

challenges, including transit and recruitment opportunities for terrorist operatives in Europe. This thesis

recommends greater EU and NATO coordination in receiving, hosting, processing, and identifying migrants

entering Europe, notably via Greece.

14. SUBJECT TERMS

Greece, migrant crisis, Islamic State, foreign terrorist fighters, migrants, terrorism, European

Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization

15. NUMBER OF

PAGES

99

16. PRICE CODE

17. SECURITY

CLASSIFICATION OF

REPORT

Unclassified

18. SECURITY

CLASSIFICATION OF THIS

PAGE

Unclassified

19. SECURITY

CLASSIFICATION OF

ABSTRACT

Unclassified

20. LIMITATION OF

ABSTRACT

UU

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89)

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Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

GREECE AND THE MIGRANT CRISIS: THE THREAT OF FOREIGN

TERRORIST FIGHTERS

Athansios R. Varvoutis

Lieutenant, United States Navy

BS, United States Naval Academy, 2011

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES

(EUROPE AND EURASIA)

from the

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

June 2018

Approved by:

David S. Yost

Advisor

Mohammed M. Hafez

Second Reader

Mohammed M. Hafez

Chair, Department of National Security Affairs

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