Lafarge paid 13 million euros to armed groups to keep operating in Syria: rights groupPARIS (Reuters) - French cement group Lafarge paid close to 13 million euros ($15.2 million) to armed groups including Islamic State militants to keep operating in Syria from 2011-2015, human rights lawyers said on Tuesday. They were speaking at a news conference on the course of French prosecutors  preliminary inquiry into Lafarge s operations launched in June on suspicion of  financing of a terrorist enterprise . The lawyers for rights group Sherpa said a large part of the money went directly or indirectly into the pockets of Islamic State and that payments lasted until well after the closure of Lafarge s Jalabiya plant in September 2014. They were citing a figure pinpointed by prosecutors examining Lafarge s activities in Syria, in the throes of civil war since 2011, and drawn from an internal report by U.S. law firm Baker and McKenzie for Lafarge.  As part of the inquiry, the precise figure retained is 12,946,000 euros paid by Lafarge between 2011 and 2015 to terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State,  Sherpa lawyer Marie Dose said. Lafarge became LafargeHolcim, the world s largest cement maker, in 2015 after a takeover by Swiss Holcim.  Former LafargeHolcim CEO Eric Olsen resigned in April after the company admitted it had paid armed groups to keep a factory operating in Syria. His lawyer has said Olsen will appeal against being put under investigation. Sherpa and other human rights groups in France as well as the French Finance Ministry have filed suit against Lafarge. Sherpa wants the company to be placed under formal criminal investigation, like Olsen, and also accuses Lafarge of not cooperating with authorities and trying to hide important elements from the investigation. A LafargeHolcim spokeswoman on Tuesday rejected these accusations but would not comment on the 13-million-euro figure.  LafargeHolcim fully cooperates with the justice (authorities). Thousands of documents have been given by the group to magistrates or seized during a search,  she said.  We strongly contest that the company is trying in any way  to limit the right of its employees or former employees to defend themselves...or (limit) their capacity to cooperate in a judicial inquiry,  she added. Being placed under formal investigation in France means that prosecutors believe they have  serious or consistent evidence  that could result in prosecution. It is a step toward a possible trial, though the investigation can still be dropped. Last Friday the Paris prosecutor also placed Olsen s predecessor as CEO, Bruno Lafont, and his ex-deputy for operations under formal investigation as part of the inquiry into Lafarge activities in Syria, the two men s lawyers said. worldnews
large paid million euros armed groups keep operating syria rights groupparis reuters french cement group large paid close million euros million armed groups including islamic state militants keep operating syria human rights lawyers said tuesday they speaking news conference course french prosecutors preliminary inquiry large operations launched june suspicion financing terrorist enterprise the lawyers rights group sharp said large part money went directly indirectly pockets islamic state payments lasted well closure large jalabiya plant september they citing figure pinpoint prosecutors examining large activities syria throws civil war since drawn internal report law firm baker mckenzie large as part inquiry precise figure retained euros paid large terrorist organizations including islamic state sharp lawyer marie dose said large became lafargeholcim world largest cement maker takeover swiss holm former lafargeholcim ceo eric olsen resigned april company admitted paid armed groups keep factory operating syria his lawyer said olsen appeal put investigation sharp human rights groups france well french finance ministry filed suit large sharp wants company placed formal criminal investigation like olsen also accuses large cooperating authorities trying hide important elements investigation a lafargeholcim spokeswoman tuesday rejected accusations would comment figure lafargeholcim fully cooperates justice authorities thousands documents given group magistrates seized search said we strongly contest company trying way limit right employees former employees defend limit capacity cooperate judicial inquiry added being placed formal investigation france means prosecutors believe serious consistent evidence could result prosecution it step toward possible trial though investigation still dropped last friday paris prosecutor also placed olsen predecessor ceo bruno font operations formal investigation part inquiry large activities syria two men lawyers said worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Lafarge paid 13 million euros to armed groups to keep operating in Syria: rights groupPARIS (Reuters) - French cement group Lafarge paid close to 13 million euros ($15.2 million) to armed groups including Islamic State militants to keep operating in Syria from 2011-2015, human rights lawyers said on Tuesday. They were speaking at a news conference on the course of French prosecutors  preliminary inquiry into Lafarge s operations launched in June on suspicion of  financing of a terrorist enterprise . The lawyers for rights group Sherpa said a large part of the money went directly or indirectly into the pockets of Islamic State and that payments lasted until well after the closure of Lafarge s Jalabiya plant in September 2014. They were citing a figure pinpointed by prosecutors examining Lafarge s activities in Syria, in the throes of civil war since 2011, and drawn from an internal report by U.S. law firm Baker and McKenzie for Lafarge.  As part of the inquiry, the precise figure retained is 12,946,000 euros paid by Lafarge between 2011 and 2015 to terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State,  Sherpa lawyer Marie Dose said. Lafarge became LafargeHolcim, the world s largest cement maker, in 2015 after a takeover by Swiss Holcim.  Former LafargeHolcim CEO Eric Olsen resigned in April after the company admitted it had paid armed groups to keep a factory operating in Syria. His lawyer has said Olsen will appeal against being put under investigation. Sherpa and other human rights groups in France as well as the French Finance Ministry have filed suit against Lafarge. Sherpa wants the company to be placed under formal criminal investigation, like Olsen, and also accuses Lafarge of not cooperating with authorities and trying to hide important elements from the investigation. A LafargeHolcim spokeswoman on Tuesday rejected these accusations but would not comment on the 13-million-euro figure.  LafargeHolcim fully cooperates with the justice (authorities). Thousands of documents have been given by the group to magistrates or seized during a search,  she said.  We strongly contest that the company is trying in any way  to limit the right of its employees or former employees to defend themselves...or (limit) their capacity to cooperate in a judicial inquiry,  she added. Being placed under formal investigation in France means that prosecutors believe they have  serious or consistent evidence  that could result in prosecution. It is a step toward a possible trial, though the investigation can still be dropped. Last Friday the Paris prosecutor also placed Olsen s predecessor as CEO, Bruno Lafont, and his ex-deputy for operations under formal investigation as part of the inquiry into Lafarge activities in Syria, the two men s lawyers said. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: large paid million euros armed groups keep operating syria rights groupparis reuters french cement group large paid close million euros million armed groups including islamic state militants keep operating syria human rights lawyers said tuesday they speaking news conference course french prosecutors preliminary inquiry large operations launched june suspicion financing terrorist enterprise the lawyers rights group sharp said large part money went directly indirectly pockets islamic state payments lasted well closure large jalabiya plant september they citing figure pinpoint prosecutors examining large activities syria throws civil war since drawn internal report law firm baker mckenzie large as part inquiry precise figure retained euros paid large terrorist organizations including islamic state sharp lawyer marie dose said large became lafargeholcim world largest cement maker takeover swiss holm former lafargeholcim ceo eric olsen resigned april company admitted paid armed groups keep factory operating syria his lawyer said olsen appeal put investigation sharp human rights groups france well french finance ministry filed suit large sharp wants company placed formal criminal investigation like olsen also accuses large cooperating authorities trying hide important elements investigation a lafargeholcim spokeswoman tuesday rejected accusations would comment figure lafargeholcim fully cooperates justice authorities thousands documents given group magistrates seized search said we strongly contest company trying way limit right employees former employees defend limit capacity cooperate judicial inquiry added being placed formal investigation france means prosecutors believe serious consistent evidence could result prosecution it step toward possible trial though investigation still dropped last friday paris prosecutor also placed olsen predecessor ceo bruno font operations formal investigation part inquiry large activities syria two men lawyers said worldnews