{"id":197581,"date":"2021-09-08T08:37:31","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T12:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/z3news.com\/w\/?p=197581"},"modified":"2021-10-21T10:16:11","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T14:16:11","slug":"french-intelligence-knew-cement-giant-lafarge-paid-millions-to-isis-capitalized-on-its-ties-with-terrorists-leaked-papers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/z3news.com\/w\/french-intelligence-knew-cement-giant-lafarge-paid-millions-to-isis-capitalized-on-its-ties-with-terrorists-leaked-papers\/","title":{"rendered":"French intelligence knew cement giant Lafarge paid MILLIONS to ISIS & capitalized on its ties with terrorists \u2013 leaked papers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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French cement giant Lafarge, charged with \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d over paying Islamic State to keep its Syrian plant running, had been informing the country\u2019s spy agencies about its ties with terrorists, leaked papers revealed.<\/p>\n

According to a batch of official French documents obtained by Turkish Anadolu news agency, Lafarge representatives have held multiple meetings with domestic, foreign and military intelligence services during the Syrian conflict. The French spy agencies were accused<\/a> of having used the company\u2019s relationship with Islamic State (IS, Daesh, formerly ISIS\/ISIL) and other militant groups to keep up to date with the events on the ground in Syria. They also refrained from warning the cement maker that its ties with terrorists were a crime, according to the agency.<\/p>\n

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Anadolu Agency accessed documents showing cement giant Lafarge constantly informed French intelligence agencies about its ties with the Daesh\/ISIS terror group.French Supreme Court upheld charges against Lafarge of \u2018financing terrorism\u2019https:\/\/t.co\/zIq6bb6vco<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/U8j5TdFj7U<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) September 7, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Lafarge is blamed for paying almost \u20ac13 million ($15.3 million) to IS and other armed groups to make sure its plant in northern Syria remained operational after the fighting in the country erupted in 2011. Rights groups, which brought claims against the company, alleged that this money had been used to facilitate the movement of staff and goods through terrorist checkpoints. Lafarge reportedly also purchased oil and raw materials from the militants, while supplying them with cement that they used to build fortifications and underground tunnels.<\/p>\n

The plant in Jalabiya, some 150km (95 miles) northeast of Aleppo, had eventually fallen into the hands of IS in 2014. It forced the company to leave the country and evacuate foreign staff, while its Syrian employees had to stay and work at the facility.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, France\u2019s supreme appeals Court of Cassation ruled that the charges of \u201ccomplicity in crimes against humanity\u201d<\/em> should remain against Lafarge, overturning a decision by a lower court to dismiss them. The cement maker also faces accusations of financing terrorism, violating an EU embargo and endangering the lives of others over its activities in Syria.<\/p>\n

Lafarge, which merged with Swiss group Holcim in 2015, acknowledged paying middlemen in Syria to negotiate with the militants, but denied any responsibility for the money ending up in the hands of terrorists. The date for the trial of the company hasn\u2019t been set yet, with the legal investigation still ongoing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear if the probe will be expanded to also look into any role the intelligence agencies may have played, but Anadolu claims that the papers it saw indicate that the French operatives held more than 30 meetings with Lafarge in 2013 and 2014.<\/p>\n

According to the agency, after the first reports about the company paying terrorists popped up in the media in January 2014, Lafarge\u2019s security director Jean-Claude Veillard sent an email to the interior ministry\u2019s intelligence directorate. In it, he reportedly insisted that Lafarge needed to maintain ties with \u201clocal actors\u201d<\/em> to be able to continue its operations in Syria, and wondered if the media revelations were a threat to the company. In response to the message, an intelligence officer apparently informed Veillard of the date when the issue was going to be addressed, the agency said.<\/p>\n

Anadolu insisted that French intelligence was well aware of Lafarge\u2019s dealings with Islamic State, citing an extract from the exchange between the sides from September 2014, in which an operative asked: \u201cCould you give more details about the cement provided to Daesh?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2017 testimony to the police, which was among the leaked documents, Veillard said that he shared all information on his activities in Syria with French intelligence. The operatives wanted to know about the balance of power between various armed groups, the clashes between them, and any rumors and speculations coming out of the turbulent country, he said.<\/p>\n

Anadolu also obtained a court statement that a French intelligence officer, code-named AM 02, delivered in 2018. He claimed that the cement giant had been his source of information on Syria, saying: \u201cWe approached the situation purely opportunistically, taking advantage of Lafarge\u2019s continued work.\u201d<\/em> The officer also confirmed that the company had been sending cement to armed groups in Syria between 2012 and 2014.<\/p>\n

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Originally published by\u00a0RT.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

French cement giant Lafarge, charged with \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d over paying Islamic State to keep its Syrian plant running, had been informing the country\u2019s spy agencies about its ties with terrorists, leaked papers revealed.<\/p>\n

According to a batch of official French documents obtained by Turkish Anadolu news agency, Lafarge representatives have held multiple meetings with domestic, foreign and military intelligence services during the Syrian conflict. The French spy agencies were accused of having used the company\u2019s relationship with Islamic State (IS, Daesh, formerly ISIS\/ISIL) and other militant groups to keep up to date with the events on the ground in Syria. They also refrained from warning the cement maker that its ties with terrorists were a crime, according to the agency.Anadolu Agency accessed documents showing cement giant Lafarge constantly informed French intelligence agencies about its ties with the Daesh\/ISIS terror group.French Supreme Court upheld charges against Lafarge of \u2018financing terrorism\u2019https:\/\/t.co\/zIq6bb6vcopic.twitter.com\/U8j5TdFj7U\u2014 ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) September 7, 2021Lafarge is blamed for paying almost \u20ac13 million ($15.3 million) to IS and other armed groups to make sure its plant in northern Syria remained operational after the fighting in the country erupted in 2011. Rights groups, which brought claims against the company, alleged that this money had been used to facilitate the movement of staff and goods through terrorist checkpoints. Lafarge reportedly also purchased oil and raw materials from the militants, while supplying them with cement that they used to build fortifications and underground tunnels.The plant in Jalabiya, some 150km (95 miles) northeast of Aleppo, had eventually fallen into the hands of IS in 2014. It forced the company to leave the country and evacuate foreign staff, while its Syrian employees had to stay and work at the facility.On Tuesday, France\u2019s supreme appeals Court of Cassation ruled that the charges of \u201ccomplicity in crimes against humanity\u201d should remain against Lafarge, overturning a decision by a lower court to dismiss them. The cement maker also faces accusations of financing terrorism, violating an EU embargo and endangering the lives of others over its activities in Syria.Lafarge, which merged with Swiss group Holcim in 2015, acknowledged paying middlemen in Syria to negotiate with the militants, but denied any responsibility for the money ending up in the hands of terrorists. The date for the trial of the company hasn\u2019t been set yet, with the legal investigation still ongoing.It\u2019s not clear if the probe will be expanded to also look into any role the intelligence agencies may have played, but Anadolu claims that the papers it saw indicate that the French operatives held more than 30 meetings with Lafarge in 2013 and 2014.<\/p>\n

Also on rt.com
\n French industrial giant admits deals with \u2018armed groups\u2019 in Syria<\/p>\n

According to the agency, after the first reports about the company paying terrorists popped up in the media in January 2014, Lafarge\u2019s security director Jean-Claude Veillard sent an email to the interior ministry\u2019s intelligence directorate. In it, he reportedly insisted that Lafarge needed to maintain ties with \u201clocal actors\u201d to be able to continue its operations in Syria, and wondered if the media revelations were a threat to the company. In response to the message, an intelligence officer apparently informed Veillard of the date when the issue was going to be addressed, the agency said.Anadolu insisted that French intelligence was well aware of Lafarge\u2019s dealings with Islamic State, citing an extract from the exchange between the sides from September 2014, in which an operative asked: \u201cCould you give more details about the cement provided to Daesh?\u201dIn 2017 testimony to the police, which was among the leaked documents, Veillard said that he shared all information on his activities in Syria with French intelligence. The operatives wanted to know about the balance of power between various armed groups, the clashes between them, and any rumors and speculations coming out of the turbulent country, he said.<\/p>\n

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\n More than 400 ISIS donors operating in France \u2013 prosecutor<\/p>\n

Anadolu also obtained a court statement that a French intelligence officer, code-named AM 02, delivered in 2018. He claimed that the cement giant had been his source of information on Syria, saying: \u201cWe approached the situation purely opportunistically, taking advantage of Lafarge\u2019s continued work.\u201d The officer also confirmed that the company had been sending cement to armed groups in Syria between 2012 and 2014.Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":771,"featured_media":183307,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[338,363,309,571],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[668],"class_list":["post-197581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-france","category-isis","category-syria","category-terrorist-attacks-jesuit-agendas","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t