French investigators have placed three people under formal investigation as part of a judicial inquiry into the Syrian activities of cement and construction group LafargeHolcim...

...[The] placing of suspects under formal investigation... could result in prosecution. Friday’s decision puts the three men one step closer to trial, though the investigation can still be dropped.

Prosecutors launched an investigation in June into Lafarge’s operations and its possible “financing of a terrorist enterprise”...

...Two of the people under investigation are former executives of the company in Syria. The third is a former head of security for Lafarge... and who still works for the company.

...Lawyers for two of the men said on Friday that their clients denied any wrongdoing. A lawyer for the third person declined to comment.

LafargeHolcim has also declined to comment on the case.