Paris: The reasons why French cement giant Lafarge continued operating in areas controlled by terrorist organizations during Syria's civil war remain unclear, despite weeks of testimony in a landmark trial in Paris. Lafarge is accused of financing the terrorist organization Daesh (ISIS) during the Syrian civil war in 2013-2014.
According to Anadolu Agency, documents published in 2021 showed that payments made by Lafarge to ISIS were allegedly carried out with the knowledge of French intelligence services. This revelation has been a focal point in the historic trial, which was initiated following a complaint filed in 2016 by the international anti-corruption NGO Sherpa, the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, and 11 former Syrian employees of Lafarge. The complaint accused Lafarge of 'financing terrorism' and 'complicity in crimes against humanity.'
The trial, held at the Paris Criminal Court, followed an eight-year investigation and involved a six-week hearing between November 4 and December 19. Lafarge and eight individuals, including four former executives, faced charges of financing terrorist groups, including ISIS, during the Syrian civil war, as well as maintaining contact with French intelligence.
A significant focus of the trial was the alleged payments to terrorist organizations, which were reportedly made through Syrian national Firas Tlass, accused of acting as an intermediary. These payments were supposedly made under the guise of "security payments" to allow company employees to pass through checkpoints controlled by these groups.
During the proceedings, former company executives and lawyers acknowledged that Lafarge paid what they described as "protection money" to terrorist organizations and remained in contact with French intelligence during this period. However, Lafarge's defense argued that its Syrian cement plant remained open to protect local jobs rather than for financial gain.
Testimonies from former Syrian employees revealed that their lives were endangered while passing through terrorist-controlled checkpoints, with some colleagues reportedly kidnapped by armed groups. Former CEO Bruno Lafont denied knowledge of the payments, while Christian Herrault, Lafarge's former deputy director of operations, testified that Lafont was informed of negotiations with the organizations.
The trial also highlighted relations between Lafarge and French intelligence. Evidence showed numerous meetings between Lafarge's former head of security, Jean-Claude Veillard, and French intelligence officers. Although French intelligence denied requesting information from Lafarge employees, Christophe Gomart, the former director of France's Military Intelligence Unit, admitted ties with Veillard, who provided intelligence voluntarily.
On December 16, France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office requested prison sentences ranging from 18 months to eight years for the defendants. They also sought fines and other penalties for both individuals and the company for violating EU embargoes prohibiting any financial or commercial relations with terrorist organizations. The verdict, presided over by Judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez, is set to be announced on April 13, 2026.
Sherpa member Anna Kiefer emphasized the importance of holding companies accountable for their activities abroad, highlighting the heavy sentences sought by prosecutors as a strong message to companies. She noted the significance of testimony from former Syrian employees, particularly their accounts of checkpoint dangers, as crucial to the trial's proceedings.