Libya Poison Gas Plant a Threat--U.S.

The White House said today that Libya has renewed production of chemical weapons, posing “a major threat” and requiring “vigorous action” to shut down the plant.

White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater refused to exclude the possibility of a military strike to knock out the poison gas plant.

“We don’t rule out anything,” he said.

However, Fitzwater also suggested that the plant could be closed if foreign suppliers deny it the raw materials needed to produce chemical weapons.

“The international community should step up its efforts to deny Libya the ability to continue operating the plant,” he said.

Chemical weapons are considered the poor nations’ atom bomb because they are relatively cheap to produce and hard to detect. Libya is one of about two dozen countries considered capable of or actually producing poison gas, which was used by Iran and Iraq in the Persian Gulf war.

The latest U.S. charges underscore the hostile relationship between the United States and Libyan dictator Moammar Kadafi. Tensions reached a crisis point in 1986 when the Reagan Administration ordered that Tripoli be bombed.

Fitzwater said the United States is consulting with other governments to express serious concern about the facility.

The plant at Rabta, 60 miles south of Tripoli, is producing limited quantities of mustard gas and nerve agents, U.S. officials said.

“Rabta is dangerous and becoming more so,” Fitzwater said. “This points to the necessity for heightened international vigilance of Libyan procurement activities and for vigorous efforts to stop the operation of Rabta.”

Asked what he meant by “vigorous action,” Fitzwater said, “We aren’t willing to speculate on what specific efforts, but nothing is ruled out.”

Kadafi’s regime has “a history of terrorism activities and a history of erratic military behavior,” Fitzwater said. “And therefore, that is the most immediate threat.”

In 1988, the United States raised concerns about Rabta and persuaded West German companies and other foreign suppliers to stop providing technical assistance. U.S. officials said then that Libya had stopped work on Rabta before reaching full production but maintained an assembly line.