Lafarge financed Daesh with knowledge of French intelligence - report

French cement giant Lafarge financed Daesh and constantly informed the French intelligence services about its relationship with the terrorist organisation, according to documents obtained by Anadolu Agency.

The documents belonging to French institutions revealed that one of the world’s largest cement giants, French Lafarge, constantly informed the French domestic, foreign and military intelligence services about its relationship with Daesh, and that the relationship is within the knowledge of the French state. 

It is also noted in the documents that the company had commercial relations with Daesh, which built shelters for itself with its cement, even after it took over the factory, and it was noted that Daesh also financed itself by selling Lafarge cement.

Lafarge email to French intelligence

In the documents belonging to the French state that AA obtained, it is understood that the relationship between Lafarge company and the French intelligence service started with an e-mail sent by the company’s security director Jean Claude Veillard to an address belonging to the Ministry of Interior intelligence on January 22, 2014.

Company official Veillard stated in his e-mail that Lafarge is still active in Syria and needs to establish relations with “local actors” in order to continue its work. 

The director of security asked the intelligence service how much risk their executives and headquarters were at, noting that there had been some negative press coverage about them.

Responding to Lafarge, the intelligence service officer informed him of a date to discuss the situation.

After the scandalous discussion of the Lafarge-terro relations in France and the reflection of the issue in the court, the intelligence officer with the code name AM 02 gave a statement in court on November 18, 2018.

According to the transcript, the officer admitted that Lafarge was his source of information in Syria.

The intelligence officer told the judge how the French secret services took advantage of the Lafarge factory.

In the minutes, the intelligence officer did not exclude Daesh, saying that during the 2012-2014 period Lafarge sent cement to all armed groups in Syria (including the Nusra Front).

“We approached the situation purely opportunistically, taking advantage of Lafarge’s continued work,” the intelligence agent said in court. 

Cement supplied to Daesh

The details of sending cement to Daesh were discussed in the correspondence between Lafarge Security Manager Veillard and the French Ministry of Interior intelligence on September 1, 2014.

“Can you give more details about the cement going to Daesh?” used by the French intelligence. 

From his statement, it is clear that the French state was aware of Lafarge’s relationship with the terrorist organisation at that time.

It is noteworthy that there were more than 30 meetings between Lafarge and the French domestic, foreign and military intelligence services between 2013 and 2014 alone, the documents show.

Notes from Lafarge to French intelligence

Veillard, the company’s head of security, testified to police on November 30, 2017, when Lafarge was accused of committing crimes against humanity by financing terrorist organisations.

According to the transcript obtained by AA, Veillard tried to prove that he had informed the French state and intelligence agencies of everything he had done during his deposition.

The annexes to the statement included documents regarding the interview information of the Lafarge security manager in the field, and the conditions that developed in the field.

It was understood that Veillard transferred the field information about the conflicts and the military balance between the armed groups to the French intelligence.

On one of the notes in question was found a note handwritten by Veillard in October 2013, “Sent to French foreign intelligence (DGSE)“.

Will the disclosures be covered up?

News reports published in France in 2016, said that Lafarge financed the terrorist organisation Daesh by paying tribute in the Syrian civil war.

According to the French press, the company provided materials and fuel from the organisation in addition to paying tribute to Daesh in order to continue its activities in Syria’s Celebiye region.

While the company admitted in 2017 that it had made payments to armed groups on the Syrian ground to keep the factory open, it disputed accusations of “participating in crimes against humanity”.

Eight executives of the company, of which an investigation was launched, were charged with financing terrorism and collaborating in crimes against humanity.

The charge of “participating in crimes against humanity” brought against the company in June 2018 was dropped in November 2019.

Non-governmental organisations reacting to the dropping of the charge brought the issue to the French Supreme Court.

The French Supreme Court is expected to reach a decision today that will pave or close the way for Lafarge to be charged with complicity in crimes against humanity for financing Daesh terrorists.