Ex-CEO Jailed for Paying Jihadists

A former chief executive of cement giant Lafarge has been sentenced to six years in prison. The court found him guilty of helping fund terrorist groups in Syria. The crime happened between 2013 and 2014. During that time, the company's local operation paid several million euros to armed jihadist groups, including the Islamic State. The goal was to keep a factory running in a war zone. Lafarge was later acquired by the Swiss group Holcim. The company itself was also charged and fined for the offenses. This landmark case marks the first time a French company has been convicted of conspiring with terrorist entities. The court ruled that the payments endangered the lives of local civilians and employees.