Breaking: French Court Rules Against Lafarge Cement In Terror Funding Trial

The ruling is the first time a company has been prosecuted and found guilty in France for financing terrorism.

In its judgment on Monday, the court sentenced former Lafarge CEO Bruno Lafont to six years in prison for terrorism financing, while former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five-year jail term.

Lafarge admitted that the payments took place over a decade ago, describing them as a “flagrant violation” of its internal code of conduct.

The company had set up a cement plant in Syria in 2010, just before the country’s uprising escalated into a civil war.

Although most foreign firms exited Syria by 2012, Lafarge reportedly withdrew only its expatriate staff while continuing operations with Syrian employees until 2014, when the facility was eventually taken over by Islamic State fighters after declaring a “caliphate” in parts of Syria and Iraq.

Prosecutors told the court that the company used intermediaries to make payments to armed groups in exchange for safe passage for workers and cement transport.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said the payments were intended to keep the plant running but ultimately strengthened terrorist organisations.

She noted that the funds helped terrorist groups gain control of resources in Syria, enabling them to finance attacks both locally and abroad, including in Europe.

The court also stated that the undisclosed amount involved contributed to the seriousness of the offences.

Herrault, in his defence, said the decision to continue operations was partly to protect local staff in Syria.

Lafarge was also fined €1.125 million as part of the ruling.

Meanwhile, Lafarge remains a major cement producer in Nigeria, with an installed capacity of about 10.5 million metric tonnes across four plants.

The company has recently announced expansion plans for its Ashaka plant in Gombe State and its Sagamu plant in Ogun State, aiming to increase production capacity significantly.

Last year, Lafarge’s parent company, Holcim, sold its 83.81 per cent stake in Lafarge Africa Plc to Chinese firm Huaxin Cement in a deal valued at about $1 billion before adjustments.

The ruling adds to growing global scrutiny of corporate links to alleged terrorist financing networks.