two lafarge bosses charged over jihadist funding
Thursday 29 May 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Two Lafarge bosses charged over jihadist funding

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleTwo Lafarge bosses charged over jihadist funding

LafargeHolcim
london - Muslimchronicle

Two senior executives at French-Swiss cement maker LafargeHolcim, including its former CEO, were charged on Friday over claims that top management turned a blind eye to payments to jihadists in Syria, a judicial source said.

Lafarge is accused of paying the Islamic State group and other militants through a middleman between 2013 and 2014 so that the company's factory in Jalabiya, northern Syria, could continue to operate despite the war.

Four people had already been charged over the case.

At Friday's hearings in Paris, Bruno Lafont, chief executive from 2007 to 2015, and the group's former Syria chief Christian Herrault, appeared in court and were charged with "financing a terrorist organisation and "endangering the lives of others" and remanded in custody.

On Thursday Eric Olsen, who took over from Lafont as CEO after the company merged with Switzerland's Holcim, was charged with the same crimes.

The three men have been in detention since Wednesday.

Three former officials at the Jalabiya factory were charged in the case last week.

Lafarge's Syrian subsidiary Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) paid out some $5.6 million (4.7 million euros) between July 2012 and September 2014, according to a report commissioned by LafargeHolcim and seen by AFP.

Of this, more than half a million dollars went to IS, according to the April report by US consultants Baker McKenzie.

- 'Racket' -

Herrault acknowledged earlier this year that Lafarge was involved in a "racket", adding that he kept Lafont "regularly informed", according to the report.

But Lafont has denied that he knew what was happening, saying things had appeared to be "under control".

LCS is also suspected of using fake consulting contracts to buy fuel from IS, which took control of most of Syria's strategic oil reserves in June 2013.

The factory's former manager Frederic Jolibois, who is among those charged, has admitted to buying oil from "non-governmental organisations", notably Kurdish and Islamist groups, in violation of the EU embargo declared in 2011.

Lafarge hung on in Syria for two years after most French companies had left as IS made major territorial gains, most of which the jihadists have since lost.

Investigators are also trying to determine whether Lafarge failed to ensure the security of its Syrian staff who stayed behind after management left the country in the summer of 2012.

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

two lafarge bosses charged over jihadist funding two lafarge bosses charged over jihadist funding

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 07:38 2017 Thursday ,12 October

'Many' Fed members favor December rate hike

GMT 07:53 2017 Wednesday ,18 October

Saudis Al Hilal into AFC Champions Lea gue final

GMT 13:04 2017 Wednesday ,19 July

'Despacito' declared most streamed song ever

GMT 20:33 2017 Friday ,03 November

Apple’s iPhone X hits Asia stores as profits soar

GMT 11:35 2017 Thursday ,16 February

Time-saving tips for you to have a little break

GMT 06:14 2012 Wednesday ,12 December

Pope set to send 1st tweet

GMT 09:30 2016 Sunday ,20 November

5 ways Indians are dodging 'black money' crackdown

GMT 13:21 2017 Thursday ,15 June

Palestinian reconciliation has not achieved

GMT 10:50 2012 Sunday ,04 March

Shortbread

GMT 13:44 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

US Pentagon chief meets Saudi king with Iran in focus

GMT 11:42 2017 Sunday ,03 December

England dismiss Smith as Aussies dig

GMT 16:47 2017 Thursday ,27 July

Egyptian President El-Sisi due in Riyadh today
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle