French courts have convicted the cement group Lafarge and several of its former executives for financing terrorism, in a case linked to its activities in Syria between 2013 and 2014.
The Paris criminal court ruled that the company had paid several million euros to jihadist groups, including the Islamic State organization, in order to keep its factory in the north of the country operational during the civil war.
According to the decision, these payments, valued at more than five million euros, contributed to the financing of organizations involved in terrorist actions, including outside Syrian territory.
Heavy sentences
The group's former CEO, Bruno Lafont, was sentenced to six years in prison with immediate incarceration.
Several other former officials also received prison sentences, ranging from 18 months to seven years. Among them, the former deputy director general, Christian Herrault, sentenced to five years in prison, was also immediately incarcerated.
The company, for its part, was fined up to one million euros for financing terrorism, as well as for an additional customs penalty for failing to comply with international sanctions.
A contested strategy
At the heart of the matter: the group's desire to continue its activities despite the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Syria.
During the trial, the defense argued that maintaining the factory was intended, in particular, to protect the employees on site.
But for the justice system, the evidence examined – internal exchanges, financial documents and testimonies – revealed an organized system of payments to armed groups.
This case, combining economic, geopolitical and security issues, constitutes one of the most striking cases involving a French multinational in a context of armed conflict.
Now part of the Swiss group Holcim, Lafarge sees its responsibility engaged in a case that raises major questions about the practices of companies operating in war zones.
