Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive DSpace Repository Theses and Dissertations 1. Thesis and Dissertation Collection, all items 2019-09 AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE: WHAT’S CHANGED? Valenzuela Balderas, Diego Emmanuel Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/63514 Downloaded from NPS Archive: Calhoun NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE: WHAT’S CHANGED? by Diego Emmanuel Valenzuela Balderas September 2019 Thesis Advisor: Cristiana Matei Second Reader: Rodrigo Nieto-Gomez Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Form Approved OMB REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED (Leave blank) September 2019 Master's thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE: WHAT’S CHANGED? 6. AUTHOR(S) Diego Emmanuel Valenzuela Balderas 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING Naval Postgraduate School ORGANIZATION REPORT Monterey, CA 93943-5000 NUMBER 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND 10. SPONSORING / ADDRESS(ES) MONITORING AGENCY N/A REPORT NUMBER 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. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. A 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) In order to determine best practices in response to a continually changing security environment, this research assesses how the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks carried out by the group’s terrorist cells and self-radicalized individuals have affected the independent and collective counterterrorist efforts of Spanish and French security agencies. Identifying the evolution of and outlining proposals for refining Spanish and French anti-ISIS counterterrorist measures revealed that it was their long-time histories of fighting against ethno-nationalist and jihadi terrorist organizations, rather than terrorist attacks by ISIS or its affiliates, that helped the security institutions of Spain and France to adapt plans, strategies, and policies for confronting ISIS from a holistic perspective. Based on these conclusions, policymakers in Spain, France, the United States, and Mexico will benefit from the application of the findings provided by this work's analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Spanish and French counterterrorism policies. In addition, the thesis offers recommendations for countries facing other terrorism-related security issues, such as organized crime or drug trafficking. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF Spain, France, ISIS, Mexico, counterterrorism, jihad, terrorist attack, intelligence, PAGES law-enforcement, homeland security, domestic security policies, counterterrorist policies, 119 counterterrorist strategies, counterterrorist laws, organized crime, Mexican domestic security 16. PRICE CODE policies 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE: WHAT’S CHANGED? Diego Emmanuel Valenzuela Balderas Commander, Mexican Navy B.S., Mexican Naval Academy, 2001 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES (COMBATING TERRORISM: POLICY AND STRATEGY) from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 2019 Approved by: Cristiana Matei Advisor Rodrigo Nieto-Gomez Second Reader Afshon P. Ostovar Associate Chair for Research Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT In order to determine best practices in response to a continually changing security environment, this research assesses how the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks carried out by the group’s terrorist cells and self-radicalized individuals have affected the independent and collective counterterrorist efforts of Spanish and French security agencies. Identifying the evolution of and outlining proposals for refining Spanish and French anti-ISIS counterterrorist measures revealed that it was their long-time histories of fighting against ethno-nationalist and jihadi terrorist organizations, rather than terrorist attacks by ISIS or its affiliates, that helped the security institutions of Spain and France to adapt plans, strategies, and policies for confronting ISIS from a holistic perspective. Based on these conclusions, policymakers in Spain, France, the United States, and Mexico will benefit from the application of the findings provided by this work's analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Spanish and French counterterrorism policies. In addition, the thesis offers recommendations for countries facing other terrorism-related security issues, such as organized crime or drug trafficking. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1 A. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION..........................................................2 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH QUESTION ...........................2 C. LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................3 1. Terrorism in Spain and France before ISIS ................................3 2. Islamic Terrorism in Spain and France .......................................5 3. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria .............................................6 4. Countering Terrorism ...................................................................8 D. POTENTIAL EXPLANATIONS AND HYPOTHESES .....................10 E. RESEARCH DESIGN .............................................................................10 F. THESIS OVERVIEW .............................................................................10 II. THE SPANISH COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS BEFORE ISIS ..........11 A. FRANCISCO FRANCO (1939–1975) ....................................................11 B. ADOLFO SUÁREZ (JULY 1976–FEBRUARY 1981) .........................12 C. FELIPE GONZÁLEZ MÁRQUEZ (DECEMBER 1982–MAY 1996) ..........................................................................................................14 D. JOSÉ MARÍA AZNAR LÓPEZ (MAY 1996–APRIL 2004) ...............16 E. JOSÉ LUIS RODRÍGUEZ ZAPATERO (APRIL 2004– DECEMBER 2011) ..................................................................................19 F. CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................24 III. COUNTERING TERRORISM IN FRANCE BEFORE ISIS .........................25 A. THE FIRST STEPS (EMERGENCY, 1950s–1960s) ............................25 B. THE SANCTUARY AND ACCOMMODATION ERAS (1970s– LATE 1980s) .............................................................................................27 C. THE SUPPRESSION ERA (EARLY 1990s) .........................................29 D. THE PREVENTION ERA (LATE 1990s–PRESENT) ........................32 E. CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................36 IV. SPANISH ANTI-ISIS POLICIES ......................................................................39 A. ISIS AND ISIS-INSPIRED ATTACKS IN SPAIN...............................39 B. THE COUNTERTERRORISM EVOLUTION IN SPAIN..................41 1. Coordination and Information Exchange ..................................42 2. Counterterrorist Laws .................................................................45 3. Strategic Alliances ........................................................................46 4. Long-Term Strategies ..................................................................47 vii C. CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................49 V. FRENCH APPROACHES AGAINST ISIS ......................................................51 A. THE ISIS ATTACKS ON FRANCE .....................................................51 B. THE CURRENT FRENCH COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS .................................................................................................57 1. Improvement of the French Security Forces .............................57 2. Adjustments to French Law ........................................................61