A court in Paris has delivered a landmark ruling, convicting French cement giant Lafarge and its former top executives over payments made to armed groups in war-torn Syria.
The court found that the company channelled approximately $6.5 million through intermediaries to secure continued operations and ensure staff movement in ISIS controlled by extremist factions, including Islamic State and the al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front.
In a precedent-setting judgment the first time a corporation has faced trial in France for terrorism financing former CEO Bruno Lafont was sentenced to six years in prison. Former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five-year sentence.
The company itself was fined €1.125 million.
While the payments were initially framed as efforts to maintain business continuity in a volatile conflict zone, the court ruled that the funds ultimately provided material support to organisations responsible for violent operations both within Syria and internationally.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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