The French company Lafarge has pleaded guilty to charges of providing support to groups designated as terrorist. She agreed to confiscate $687 million of her money, and pay a fine of $90 million.
Today, Tuesday, a court session stated that the French cement manufacturer Lafarge pleaded guilty to US charges of making payments to groups designated by the United States as terrorist organizations, including the terrorist organization ISIS.
Lafarge's action in Brooklyn federal court marks the first time a company has pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of providing material support to a terrorist group.
Lafarge, which in 2015 became part of Switzerland-listed Holcim, is also facing accusations in Paris of complicity in crimes against humanity.
Lafarge agreed to forfeit $687 million and pay a fine of $90 million as part of its guilty plea.
Previously, the cement maker admitted after an internal investigation that its affiliate company in Syria had paid groups to help protect factory workers. But it denied accusations that it was complicit in crimes against humanity.
Holcim said that events related to Lafarge's plant in Syria violated its values, and that these events were hidden from its board of directors at the time of the merger in 2015.
In 2017, human rights organizations in France accused Lafarge of paying 13 million euros ($12.79 million) to armed groups, including the terrorist organization ISIS, to continue operating in Syria between 2011 and 2015.
Mobilization Day France is on a date with many demonstrations and strikes in order to raise wages
As the fuel crisis escalates in France, union organizations called for widespread strikes on Tuesday, a day after the government confiscated two fuel depots and summoned strikers to reopen some warehouses.
With the school holidays approaching, France prepares for a day of major turmoil on Tuesday, with unions calling for strikes and demonstrations to demand higher wages and an end to forcing striking workers at refineries and fuel depots to work.
The strike in the refineries, which significantly disrupted the distribution of fuel throughout the country about two weeks ago, will continue, especially in the "Total Energy" group.
Several sectors were invited, including government institutions, energy, public transport, truck drivers, the food industry and trade.
On the platform of the regional high-speed train network at the Gare de Lyon station in Paris, passengers accustomed to the disruptions that often affect this route await.
The SNCF movement was also disrupted, with one out of every two trains running on average, and by the public transport companies in Paris (RATP), bus traffic also declined, but the subway traffic was almost normal.
In addition to the "wage increase", participants in a demonstration against the government's recall will strike in order to reopen some fuel depots.
On Monday, the French government confiscated two fuel depots belonging to the group "Total Energies" in Mardec (north) and Faisin (southeast).
And government spokesman Olivier Veran warned Tuesday that "there will be as many confiscations as necessary."
“Each time these expropriations have been attacked, we have won the summary proceedings because the judges considered these expropriations to have been proportionate,” explained Minister for Environmental Transformation Christophe Picchu.
"Do our best"
Also, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday summoned Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne and relevant ministers to assess the situation at a time when 30% of France's service stations are experiencing disruption, and often endless queues of motorists.
"We will continue to do everything we can," Macron said, adding that he wanted to resolve this crisis "as quickly as possible."
The government also wants to show that it is listening to the inflation-affected French people.
And Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Tuesday that France has a "wage problem" and called on "a part of employers to raise salaries when possible."
On Tuesday, union and government officials will monitor the number of strikers, especially in strategic sectors such as transportation and energy... and any calls for a renewed strike, for example in the railway sector, in light of the approaching school holiday that begins on Friday.
In his response to the possibility of continuing the strike of the railway company (SNCF), General Secretary of the General Federation of Labor Felipe Martinez responded by saying, "The decision is up to the striking employees, and the same applies to Total Energies."
Among the reasons for the dissatisfaction of millions of employees are: inflation affecting purchasing power, the upcoming tightening of unemployment benefits rules, and the expected pension reform at the end of the year.
These moves come in the wake of a demonstration against the "high cost of living" organized by left-wing parties, including "Rebellious France" in Paris. The number of participants in it reached 140,000 people, according to the organizers, 30,000 people, according to the police, and 29,500 people, according to a census conducted by the "Ocurence" center for a number of media outlets, including Agence France-Presse.
The consequences of the strikes in refineries are visible in many sectors: difficulties in accessing work, anxiety in rural areas in the midst of the harvest season, fear of disruption to leave and cancellation of reservations.
According to an opinion poll conducted by "Ilab", 49% of the French do not support the mobilization and 39% agree with it.
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