French court rules cement giant Lafarge guilty of funding Syria ‘terrorism’
French court rules cement giant Lafarge guilty of funding Syria ‘terrorism’
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A French court found cement giant Lafarge guilty of financing terrorism in Syria between 2013 and 2014. The court ruled that Lafarge paid protection money to ISIL (ISIS) and other armed groups to continue operating its Syrian plant during the civil war, violating international sanctions. Lafarge was fined 1.12 million euros, and 30 million euros worth of assets were confiscated. Eight former Lafarge employees were also found guilty, including former CEO Bruno Lafont, who received a six-year jail sentence. The court stated that the payments enabled Lafarge to maintain operations and constituted a "commercial partnership" with terrorist groups. Lafarge's plant in Jalabiya, northern Syria, began operating in 2010.
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AI-ExtractedThe presiding judge said the payments made by Lafarge helped to strengthen groups that carried out deadly attacks in Syria and beyond.
Judges found that Lafarge paid a total of 5.59 million euros ($6.55m) to armed groups in Syria during the war.
Former CEO Bruno Lafont was sentenced to six years in jail.
Lafarge was ordered to pay a fine of 1.12 million euros ($1.32m) and have 30 million euros ($35.1m) worth of its assets confiscated.
French court found Lafarge guilty of financing “terrorism” through its Syrian subsidiary.
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