In a landmark ruling on Monday, April 13, 2026, the Paris Criminal Court found French cement manufacturer Lafarge and several of its former executives guilty of financing terrorism during the Syrian civil war. This historic judgment marks the first time a corporation has been convicted as a legal entity for such offenses in France.
The Verdict and Penalties
The court established that between 2013 and 2014, Lafarge paid approximately €5.59 million ($6.54 million) to various armed groups, including ISIL (ISIS) and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, to keep its Jalabiya cement plant in northern Syria operational.
- Lafarge SA: Ordered to pay the maximum possible fine under French law of €1.125 million ($1.32 million). Additionally, €30 million worth of its assets were ordered to be confiscated, and it received a €4.57 million fine for violating international financial sanctions.
- Bruno Lafont (Former CEO): Sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of €225,000 ($262,000).
- Christian Herrault (Former Deputy Director): Sentenced to five years in prison and a similar fine.
- Other Convictions: Six other former employees and intermediaries were found guilty, receiving prison sentences ranging from three to seven years.
Key Findings: “Profit Over Safety”
Presiding Judge Isabelle Prévost-Desprez stated that the payments constituted a “genuine commercial partnership” with terrorist organizations. The court ruled that senior management mobilized human and political resources with the sole aim of maintaining economic interests, despite the extreme risks posed to Syrian employees.
”The court established that Lafarge had mobilized financial, human, and political resources to maintain a strategy centered on preserving its economic interests,” the ruling noted, emphasizing that these payments strengthened the “operational capacity” of groups like ISIS.
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Human Impact and Legal Precedent
More than 190 former Syrian employees joined the case as civil parties, recounting lives under constant threat of kidnapping and crossfire. While the court recognized their suffering, it ruled that individuals could not qualify as direct victims of “terrorism financing,” and thus denied them financial compensation.
Continuing Legal Troubles
This conviction does not end Lafarge’s legal battles in France. The company remains under investigation for complicity in crimes against humanity, a significantly more serious charge that addresses the fueling of grave international crimes. In a separate U.S. case in 2022, Lafarge had already paid $778 million after pleading guilty to providing material support to terrorist groups.
Lafarge Guilty of Financing ISIL in Syria
This Al Jazeera report provides a concise summary of the Paris court’s ruling and the specific penalties levied against the company and its executives.
Credit: Al Jazeera
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