French cement manufacturer Lafarge was found guilty by the Paris court of making payments to armed groups in 2013–2014 to keep its factory in Syria operational.
The court announced that, along with the company, eight former executives were also convicted of the crime of “financing terrorism.”
Payments made to multiple groups including ISIS
According to the ruling, Lafarge paid a total of approximately 5.6 million euros to three jihadist groups, including ISIS.
The court emphasized that these payments contributed to the continuation of the groups’ activities and to the “preparation of terrorist attacks.” In this context, the January 2015 attacks in France were also referenced in the decision.
Presiding judge Isabelle Prévost-Desprez stated that this financing model particularly strengthened ISIS’ control over resources in Syria, contributing to the financing of attacks planned both in the region and in Europe.
It was also revealed that Lafarge, later acquired by Holcim, continued operating its Jalabiya (Çelebiye) factory in Syria despite the conditions of war.
During the trial, allegations were raised that the company made this decision for economic reasons and placed employee safety in a secondary position.
Within the scope of the case filed on October 16, 2024, it had been decided that the company and eight individuals would stand trial. Former security director Jean-Claude Veillard was acquitted during the process.
The court based its decision on a detailed examination of payments made to al-Nusra Front and ISIS through Lafarge’s Syrian intermediary, Firas Tlass.
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