Khaberni - On Tuesday in Paris, the French Public Prosecutor's Office for Counter-Terrorism requested a fine of one billion and 125 million euros against the French cement company Lafarge, in addition to prison sentences of up to eight years for eight former officials in the company, who are being tried on charges of financing terrorism in Syria.
In relation to the former CEO of the group, Bruno Lafont, the Public Prosecutor's office requested six years of imprisonment with immediate detention, a fine of 225,000 euros, and a prohibition from holding commercial or industrial positions, or managing a company for ten years.
The harshest penalty requested by the Public Prosecutor's Office was eight years of imprisonment for the Syrian intermediary Firas Tlass, who is being tried in absentia and pursued under an international arrest warrant.
As for "Lafarge Corporation" in its corporate capacity, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested the confiscation of assets it owns valued at 30 million euros.
The Public Prosecutor's Office also requested a solidarity customs fine on four of the accused and on the company amounting to four billion and 570 million euros, for failing to comply with international financial sanctions.
In this case, it is suspected that the French group, through its subsidiary "Lafarge Cement Syria", paid millions of euros in 2013 and 2014 to groups classified as "terrorist," including the Islamic State organization and the Nusra Front, which was linked to al-Qaeda, to ensure the continuation of operations at its cement plant in Jalabiya in northern Syria.
While other multinational companies left Syria in 2012, Lafarge evacuated only its foreign employees at the time and kept the Syrians working until September 2014 when the Islamic State organization took control of the region where the factory is located.
