<span>STORY: A Paris court has found cement maker Holcim’s Lafarge unit guilty on charges that its Syrian subsidiary financed terrorism.</span><span>The court also heard Lafarge had breached European sanctions to keep a plant operating in northern Syria during the country’s civil war.</span><span>:: File </span><span>The company was ordered to pay a $1.32 million fine, the maximum available.</span><span>Lafarge said it acknowledged the court’s findings and that the decision was an “important milestone” in its actions to “address this legacy matter.”</span><span>The case is the first time a company has been tried in France for financing terrorism. </span><span>Judges said Lafarge paid over $6.5 million to Islamic State and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front from 2013 to September 2014.</span><span>Both are designated as terrorist groups by the European Union.</span><span>:: File </span><span>Presiding judge, Isabelle Prevost-Desprez, said the payments helped strengthen jihadist groups that carried out deadly attacks in Syria and beyond.</span><span>“The payments,” she added, “took the form of a genuine commercial partnership with the Islamic State.”</span><span>Claire Tixeire is co-director of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, one of two groups that filed the case:</span><span>“This is a monumental warning to the entire community of multinational corporations that benefit from armed conflicts around the world. That’s why it’s such a significant warning, and we hope there won’t be so much business as usual after this decision.”</span><span>The court said some payments were for safe passage of employees to the Jalabiya plant.</span><span>Others were to purchase source materials from quarries under Islamic State control.</span><span>Eight former Lafarge employees were found guilty, including former CEO Bruno Lafont who was sentenced to six years in jail.</span><span>His lawyer said he would appeal.</span><span>Holcim did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</span>
