UPDATE - Trial begins over French cement giant Lafarge's alleged financing of terror group ISIS

ADDS MORE DETAILS

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - The trial of French cement giant Lafarge, accused of financing terrorist group ISIS (Daesh) and violating international sanctions through its operations in northern Syria, began Tuesday at the Paris Criminal Court.

The hearings, set to continue through Dec. 16, will see Lafarge tried as a legal entity along with eight individuals.

Those standing trial include four former French executives of Lafarge, two Syrian intermediaries accused of negotiating with armed groups on behalf of the company, and two security officials, one Jordanian and one Norwegian.

According to a joint statement by anti-corruption NGO Sherpa and the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, which initiated the case after nearly nine years of legal proceedings, the trial represents “a unique opportunity for French justice to examine the responsibility of multinational companies operating in conflict zones.”

The statement also described the trial as “a key moment” for former Lafarge employees affected by the company’s activities in Syria, noting that many Syrian workers are expected to testify about their experiences.

It further underlined that a separate investigation into Lafarge for alleged complicity in crimes against humanity remains ongoing, a first of its kind worldwide.

The eight individuals on trial face up to 10 years in prison and fines of €225,000 (some $259,000) if found guilty of financing terrorism, while Lafarge as a corporate entity risks a fine of up to €1.125 million and additional penalties.

If convicted of violating international financial sanctions, the company could face a fine of up to 10 times the amount involved in the breach, approximately €46 million.

Former Lafarge executives charged with the same offense could face up to five years in prison, financial penalties, and confiscation of assets obtained through the alleged violations.

- Anadolu published evidence proving Lafarge financed terror group ISIS

On Sept. 7, 2021, Anadolu drew international attention by publishing documents proving that Lafarge financed terrorist group ISIS with the knowledge of French intelligence.

According to the documents, the firm regularly informed French intelligence services about its relations with ISIS while French intelligence and state institutions failed to warn Lafarge that it was committing crimes against humanity by financing terrorism, as admitted in confidential records.

ISIS used cement purchased from the French firm to build terrorist shelters and tunnels.

As part of an investigation launched in June 2017, several senior executives, including Lafarge’s ex-CEO Bruno Lafont, were charged with financing terrorism.

The charge of complicity in crimes against humanity brought against the company in 2018 was dropped in 2019, but civil parties to the case — the anti-corruption NGO Sherpa and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights — filed an appeal.

On Sept. 7, 2021, France’s Court of Cassation issued a ruling allowing Lafarge to be charged with complicity in crimes against humanity over its financing of ISIS terrorists in Syria.

In May 2022, the Paris Court of Appeals approved the launch of an investigation into Lafarge — whose financing of Daesh was proven by documents obtained by Anadolu — on charges of complicity in crimes against humanity.

In January 2024, France’s Court of Cassation rejected a request to drop the complicity in crimes against humanity charges against Lafarge, allowing the investigation to proceed

That October, three investigating judges decided that the Lafarge group and four of its former executives would stand trial on charges of financing a terrorist group and violating the EU embargo that bans all financial and commercial relations with terrorist groups, including ISIS.