Cement group Lafarge went on trial in France Tuesday, accused of paying the Islamic State group and other jihadists protection money to build its business in war-torn Syria.

In a very similar case in the United States, the French firm pleaded guilty of conspiring to provide material support to US-designated foreign "terrorist" organisations and agreed to pay a $778-million fine, in what was the first time a corporation had faced the charge.

In the French trial, Lafarge -- which has since been acquired by Swiss conglomerate Holcim -- is accused of paying millions of dollars in 2013 and 2014, via its subsidiary Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS), to jihadist groups and intermediaries to keep its plant operating in northern Syria.

Groups it allegedly paid include the Islamic State group (IS) and S

See Full Page