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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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

6. AUTHOR(S) Athansios R. Varvoutis

5. FUNDING NUMBERS

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000

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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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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--and the shores of other southern European countries--in 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

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99

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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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