Gust Avrakotos
| Gust Avrakotos | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Gustav Lascaris Avrakotos January 14, 1938 Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | December 1, 2005 (aged 67) Inova Fairfax Hospital, Virginia, US |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh |
| Occupation | Case officer, Task Force Chief |
| Employer | U.S. Central Intelligence Agency |
| Known for | Operation Cyclone |
| Awards | Intelligence Medal of Merit (1988) |
Gustav Lascaris "Gust" Avrakotos (January 14, 1938 – December 1, 2005) was an American case officer and Afghan Task Force Chief for the United States Central Intelligence Agency.
Avrakotos was little known to the public until the book Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History, by George Crile, was published in 2003. The book, which portrays U.S. involvement in the Afghan-Soviet War as a partnership between Avrakotos and Texas Congressman Charles Wilson, was the basis of the film Charlie Wilson's War, released in 2007.
Avrakotos was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, the son of a Greek American soft drink manufacturer, from the island of Lemnos. He briefly worked at Jones and Laughlin Steel mill in Aliquippa before graduating valedictorian from Aliquippa High School in 1955. Avrakotos attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics. He also attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology.
He joined the CIA in 1962 and his assignments included an anti-communist mission in Greece and duty in the CIA's Langley, Virginia, headquarters. It has been alleged that Avrakotos was the link between the CIA and Greek Secret Service (KYP) and that he met future dictator Georgios Papadopoulos and other military men who played a part in the Greek military junta of 1967–1974. It has been implied that Avrakotos played a role in encouraging Brigadier Ioannidis coup against Cyprus President Makarios which was the pretext for the subsequent Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
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