The trial, beginning Monday at the Paris Criminal Court and expected to run until December 16, involves eight individuals and Lafarge as a corporate entity. The charges stem from alleged payments made to armed factions between 2013 and 2014 to keep the company’s Syrian cement plant operational.

“Historic” Case

Anna Kiefer, a member of the international anti-corruption NGO Sherpa, described the case as “historic,” while Cannelle Lavite, Co-Director of the Business and Human Rights Unit at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) in Berlin, emphasized its significance for corporate accountability.

Funding and Dealings with ISIS

According to Sherpa’s findings, Lafarge allegedly paid around €5 million to ISIS and other armed groups—€3 million in security payments and approximately €2 million to purchase raw materials from ISIS-linked suppliers. These payments were reportedly made through intermediaries and Syrian negotiators with the approval of senior executives in Paris.

Charges and Ongoing Investigations

Lavite noted that while the terrorism financing component of the investigation has been referred to the court, a separate probe into “complicity in crimes against humanity” is still ongoing. Both Sherpa and ECCHR are participating as civil parties to safeguard the rights of former Syrian employees.

Intelligence Links and Legal Proceedings

Documents published by Anadolu Agency revealed that Lafarge had informed French intelligence services of its dealings with ISIS, yet the authorities failed to intervene. The investigation, launched in 2017, charged top executives with financing terrorism. Although the “complicity in crimes against humanity” charge was initially dropped in 2019, both the Court of Cassation and the Paris Court of Appeal later ruled that proceedings should continue.

On October 16, 2024, Sherpa and ECCHR issued a joint statement asserting that Lafarge’s parent company and former executives financed ISIS operations and violated EU sanctions. The trial now stands as a landmark case in international law—marking the first time a corporation faces prosecution for financing terrorism.