French cement giant Lafarge has been convicted in a Paris court of financing terrorism after judges found the company paid millions of dollars to armed groups, including Islamic State, to keep its operations running in Syria during the civil war.
The court ruled that between 2013 and 2014, Lafarge transferred about $6.5 million to various militant factions in exchange for protection, safe passage, and continued access to raw materials needed to operate its plant in northern Syria.
Eight former employees were also found guilty of financing terrorism. Among them is former CEO Bruno Lafont, who was sentenced to six years in prison. Former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five year sentence, while another former staff member, Firas Tlass, was sentenced in absentia to seven years.
The court said payments were made to groups including Islamic State and al Qaeda linked Nusra Front, describing the arrangements as a form of “commercial partnership” that allowed designated terrorist organisations to benefit financially and expand their influence during the conflict.
Judge Isabelle Prevost Desprez stated that the funding helped armed groups gain control over local resources and strengthen their capacity to carry out attacks across the region. She said the payments were driven by the company’s decision to keep its Syrian plant operational despite the escalating war.
Lafarge, which is now part of Swiss company Holcim, acknowledged the ruling, calling it a legacy case involving conduct that occurred over a decade ago and saying it violated the company’s internal standards. The firm described the judgment as a step in addressing past wrongdoing.
The factory in Jalabiya, purchased in 2008 and operational from 2010, continued running after the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, even as the area became increasingly controlled by armed factions.
The case marks the first time a company has been tried in France for financing terrorism. It follows a similar settlement in the United States in 2022, where Lafarge paid hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties over related allegations.
