Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 13, 1990                   TAG: 9006130564
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: MANNHEIM, WEST GERMANY                                LENGTH: Short

MAN REPORTEDLY ADMITS POISON GAS PLANT CLAIM

Juergen Hippenstiel-Imhausen, former director of the Imhausen-Chemie company of Lahr, also said at his trial that the Rabta plant in Libya was built to make poison gas, the television news said.

According to the news report, Hippenstiel said the company "participated in construction of the Rabta factory," delivering production plans and equipment.

"Hippenstiel's statements also confirmed that poison gas was to be produced at Rabta," the television news said.

The Libyan plant scandal broke in December 1988, with allegations of West German assistance in construction of the plant south of Tripoli.

West German government officials at first denied that any of the country's companies were involved, but officials later acknowledged that allegations about West German involvement made by U.S. officials were true.

Libya says the plant was built to make pharmaceuticals.

-Associated Press