Show I The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday April 4 1996 — Page 15 Perry implicitly threatens force against Libya ISMAILIYA Egypt (AP) — In an implicit threat to use military force Defense Secretary William Perry said Wednesday the United Slates would not allow Libya to complete what American intelligence agencies believe is a large underground plant to produce chemical weapons Perry said he shared evidence includ- ing photographs with Egyptian Presi- dent Hosni Mubarak during private talks Wednesday in Cairo “I discussed a variety of evidence we have” Perry said He would not be more explicit except to say it included intelligence photographs "They demonstrate that the Libyans are not now producing chemical weapons but they have an extensive pro gram under way to develop a chemical weapons production facility” Perry told reporters in an impromptu interview near this city on the Suez Canal Asked whether the United States would allow Libya to complete the plant Perry said firmly “No I don't want to comment further on that but the answer is no” He was pressed to say whether the Ginton administration was considering using force to stop the project which Libya has said is part of a huge irrigation system “I wouldn't rule anything out or anything in" he replied He would not say how close US intelligence believes Libya is to beginning chemical weapons production at the plant saying that would reveal classified information “It is not imminent" he said US intelligence agencies say the Libyan plant is under construction at Tarhunah 40 miles southeast of Tripoli The Tarhunah facility was reportedly designed to replace a plant at Rabta 55 miles southwest of Tripoli The Rabta plant was reopened last fall five years after a suspicious fire and Libya insists it manufactures pharmaceuticals Last month Libya announced it had made the first pharmaceutical exports from the Rabta plant to Egypt Perry said he discussed a variety of security topics with Mubarak earlier in the day including ways in which Washington and Cairo can cooperate to stem the recent surge in terrorism in the region He said Mubarak was very interested in US information about Libya's chemical arms project “I wanted to be sure that Egypt was aware of our assessment and the threat from those chemical weapons is not just to the United States or even primarily to the United States" he said “It's a threat to the regional powers around here including Egypt" Perry said Mubarak requested — and would be given — a detailed US intelligence assessment of the suspected chemical weapons site at Tarhunah CIA Director John Dcutch told Congress recently that Libya was building a large chemical weapons production facility under ground Deulch did not men tion the possibility that US military force might be used to stop it On Tuesday Perry had told reporters as he was traveling to Cairo that he intended to express to Mubarak the Unit- ed States' “profound concern" about Libya's chemical weapons intentions I lc did not mention then what if anything the United States might do about it Perry flew by helicopter to Ismailiya along the Suez Canal to meet with com- manders of Egypt's 2nd Field Army which is the largest unit in the armed forces He also toured a monument to Egypt’s 1973 campaign against an Israeli stronghold along the Suez Ismailiya On Thursday US troops Arafat works to combat criticism Perry w’as to visit with - - RAMALLAH West Bank (AP) — Bowing to the demands of Palestinian protesters Yasser Arafat today fired a senior police commander who had ordered a raid of a West Bank university Arafat also said he would set up special guard units for Palestinian universities Arafat did not elaborate but the units apparently are designed to avoid future friction between police and students The Nablus police chief Col Ala Hosni was to be removed from his job and transferred to Gaza a statement by Arafat’s office said It was not clear whether Hosni would remain in the police force The action aimed to end protests set off by Arafat's crackdown on Islamic militants Pales- tinian security forces arrested some 900 people after the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups carried out four suicide bombings in Israel In the beginning most demonstrators were supporters of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups that have opposed Arafat's rule from the outseL However Arafat supporters started joining the protests after police raided An Najah University in Nablus last weekend firing tear gas and beating students Five students were injured On Wednesday members of Arafat’s Fatah movement at the university joined Hamas sympathizers in a vote to suspend class- es until those responsible for the raid had been punished In the nearby town of Ramal-la- h where Arafat addressed a meeting of the Palestinian legislative council on Wednesday some 2000 protesters rallied demanding an end to the crackdown After protesters scuffled with police Arafat rushed to the demonstration snd was heckled by the angry crowd According to a survey published today by a Palestinian think tank 585 percent of Pales- tinians queried support the crackdown on the militants while 319 percent oppose the police actions Asked about suicide attacks in 701 percent said they opposed such violence while Israel 211 percent said they supported the bombings Shots fired near Yeltsin residence MOSCOW (AP) — Shots were fired near Boris Yeltsin's residence in western Moscow but no one was injured and it appeared die president was not in the building at the time the Interior Ministry said today An unidentified gunman parked outside the building in a truck shot three times Wednesday night I'' ' from a sniper rifle at several buildings across the street from Yeltsin's city apartment said Lagutkina said the incident could be described as “pure hooliganism” and that police were investigating the shooting No one was injured and the off 25-3- 3 spokeswoman Lidiya Lagutkina Fashion dresses iff high-ranki- cials including Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin Mocow 7)1 fashion Plus drosses Choose from a huge awortmenl of dresses in nur Fashion Plus Dresses department such at Ibis uw gunman immediately dropped his weapon and left the scene in a car she said offiA number of Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Defense Minister Favel Grachev live in the same building as Yeltsin in the Kry latskove neighborhood 2999-899- 9 amt casual 136-H3- 0 3m on a fantastic awortmenl of spring drvwei in both Featured: drew by Danicri from a leted list of nwrl tmowm makers urn 8 is a real choice far both daw and comfort Fashton Dresses $ vi neiv KVzsosv tvmtough 10 vm 9 fw fMONt: K Smt StnDt Off r colorful vet unassuming InrA from Plaza South $9 09 m sizes 14-2- Zi CM I lw (ptan 579-b- 6 nwirws vn7CM! 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