French investigating judges have ordered the cement group Lafarge to stand trial in criminal court on charges of financing terrorism, as it paid off jihadist groups to keep a plant in Syria in operation until 2014, when the Islamic State armed group took control of large parts of the country.
The company, along with eight individuals, including former CEO Bruno Lafont, are accused of having “organised, validated, facilitated or implemented a policy presuming to send financing to terrorist organisations established around the cement factory” in the Syrian town of Jalabiya, according to the referral consulted by AFP.
