Guilty Verdict in Landmark Case
A French court has found former Lafarge CEO Bruno Lafont guilty of financing terrorism in Syria, sentencing him to six years in prison. The ruling marks the first time in France that an entire company has been tried for financing terrorism. Lafarge, the world's largest cement manufacturer, was also ordered to pay a 1.125 million euro ($1.3 million) fine.
Details of Illegal Payments
The court determined Lafarge funneled approximately 5.59 million euros ($6.55 million) to terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (IS), the al-Nusra Front (formerly affiliated with current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa), and other armed groups. Presiding Judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez stated that these payments constituted "a genuine commercial partnership with the Islamic State." According to the court, over 800,000 euros ($937,000) were paid to secure safe passage for employees. An additional 1.6 million euros ($1.87 million) were used to purchase source materials from quarries under ISIL control.
Plant Investment and Operation
Lafarge bought a plant in Jalabiya, Syria, in 2008 for 680 million euros and began operating it in 2010, prior to the Syrian Civil War. While most multinational corporations withdrew from Syria by 2012, Lafarge only evacuated its expatriate employees, leaving its Syrian workforce in place.
Employee Sentences and Company Response
Eight former Lafarge employees were found guilty of financing terrorist organizations. Former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five-year jail sentence. Other former employees were handed fines and sentences ranging from one to seven years. Lafont's lawyer has stated that he plans to appeal the decision. Lafarge stated it "acknowledges the court's finding" and is reviewing the court's reasoning.
Past Admissions and Legal Battles
In 2022, Lafarge acknowledged that it had paid nearly 13 million euros ($15.2 million) to middlemen to keep its Syrian cement factory running during the war. In a 2022 U.S. case, Lafarge admitted its Syrian subsidiary paid $6 million to ISIL and the al-Nusra Front. The company paid $778 million in forfeiture and fines as part of a plea agreement.
Impact of the Ruling
The French national counter-terrorism prosecutor's office (PNAT) argued that Lafarge was guilty of funding "terrorist" organizations with "a single aim: profit." Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said the payments made by Lafarge helped to strengthen groups that carried out deadly attacks in Syria and beyond. The ruling can be appealed.
The sources also report that Lafarge left its Syrian workforce in place after 2012, while most multinationals had fully withdrawn from Syria by that year.