Paris (AFP)

One of the men suspected of having served as an intermediary between the Lafarge cement and terrorist groups in Syria was indicted for "financing of terrorism" in late August in Paris, learned Monday AFP from concordant sources.

Hitherto covered by an arrest warrant, Amro Taleb, a Syrian-Canadian, presented himself to the Parisian investigating judges, who placed him under judicial control with a ban on leaving French territory , confirmed a judicial source.

Contacted by AFP, his lawyer did not wish to comment.

This man, who was recruited by the cement company in 2013 officially as "environmental consultant", appears in the survey as having mediated between the Syrian subsidiary of Lafarge and suppliers deemed close to the Islamic State (IS) organization. .

According to notes declassified French intelligence services, which AFP has knowledge, Amro Taleb would have participated in a meeting in December 2014 with "Emir Daech", Abu Loqman, to revive the plant in Jalabiya (north ) fallen into the hands of the jihadists.

Lafarge SA, owner of Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS), is suspected of having paid in 2013 and 2014, through this subsidiary, nearly 13 million euros to jihadist groups, including the Islamic State (IS), and to intermediaries to maintain the activity of its site in Syria, while the country sank into the war.

In total, eight executives or leaders were indicted for "financing of terrorism" and / or "endangering" in this judicial inquiry launched in June 2017, after the complaints of NGOs Sherpa and the European Center for Constitutional Rights and Human Rights (ECCHR).

Lafarge has been prosecuted since June 2018 for "complicity in crimes against humanity", "financing of terrorism", "violation of an embargo" and "endangering life" of former employees of the factory. Jalabiya.

While the existence of remittances to "armed groups" came out of an internal investigation report, the group denies any responsibility for the destination of these payments to terrorist organizations and rejects accusations of "complicity in crimes against humanity. "

Lafarge and three executives -Bruno Lafont, former CEO, his former Security Director, Jean-Claude Veillard, and one of the former directors of the Syrian subsidiary, Frédéric Jolibois- challenged their indictments in court. The investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal must decide on these requests on 24 October.

In addition to Amro Taleb, the name of another intermediary, Firas Tlass, is mentioned in the survey. He is subject to an arrest warrant.

In custody at the end of 2017, Lafarge executives denied any complicity with Mr. Taleb, accusing him of being a "crook" who tried to extort the company.

© 2019 AFP