French Court Convicts Lafarge Over Terrorism Financing 

A court in Paris has convicted Lafarge of financing terrorism after finding that the company paid millions of dollars to armed groups, including extremists, to sustain its operations during the Syrian conflict.

According to the ruling, Lafarge transferred about $6.5 million between 2013 and 2014 to militant groups in northern Syria to secure the movement of staff, maintain access to raw materials, and keep its cement plant in Jalabiya operational.

The court determined that some of the payments were made to Islamic State and the Nusra Front, both designated terrorist organisations.

Presiding judge Isabelle Prévost-Desprez said the financial arrangements enabled the groups to access resources used in carrying out attacks across the Middle East and Europe.

“The payments were essential in enabling terrorist organisations to gain control of resources and finance attacks within the region and abroad,” she stated.

The court also convicted eight former employees of the company. Former chief executive Bruno Lafont was sentenced to six years in prison, while former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five-year sentence. A former Syrian employee, Firas Tlass, was sentenced in absentia to seven years.

Lafarge, now owned by Holcim, acknowledged the judgment, describing the case as a legacy issue involving actions that violated its internal code of conduct.

The company had acquired the Jalabiya plant in 2008 and commenced operations in 2010, shortly before the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War. Payments to the armed groups reportedly continued until September 2014.