Lafarge under investigation over terrorist funding allegations in Syria

PARIS (Reuters) - French cement group Lafarge SA was put under formal investigation in France over allegations of funding terrorist activities in Syria and aiding and abetting crimes against humanity, a judicial source said on Thursday.

French prosecutors last year launched a probe into the suspected "financing of a terrorist enterprise" by the cement group in Syria. The company admitted last year it had paid armed groups to keep a factory operating.

Prosecutors last year put several senior former managers of Lafarge and LafargeHolcim under formal investigation.

Lafarge merged with Swiss company Holcim in 2015 to become LafargeHolcim <LHN.S>.

(Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry, Dominique Vidalon; editing by Michel Rose)