Gadaffi may find that the goalposts have been moved Dec 20, 2003
The US suspected that the programme had been shifted to an underground facility at Tarhuna, south-east of Tripoli. Libya's nuclear research programme was believed to be insignificant (Guardian, UK)
Despite "rogue" state label, Libya had little apparent succes ... Dec 20, 2003
But it closed the Rabta plant in 1990 and it halted construction of a huge underground complex at Tarhuna discovered in 1996 following US threats to take decisive action to keep it from becoming operational. A Pentagon report entitled "Proliferation: Threat and Response" concluded in January 2001 that both plants were believed to be inactive, although the chemical program had not been completely abandoned (SpaceDaily)
Libya to Give Up Arms Programs, Bush Announces Dec 20, 2003
Washington has long accused Libya of producing blister and nerve agents at secret plants in Tarhuna, 50 miles southwest of Tripoli, and at the Pharma complex in Rabta, 75 miles southwest of Tripoli. Most of the chemical weapons seen by the visiting inspectors were at Rabta, one senior official said Friday (The Ledger, FL)
Libya's Gadhafi shows signs of softening toward the West analysis Dec 20, 2003
There was even more concern over a suspected underground chemical weapons plant at Tarhuna. In late 1996, a U.S. defense official caused an international stir by suggesting that the United States might use a nuclear weapon to destroy the chemical weapons plant (Contra Costa Times, CA)
ROFL! Libya Special Weapons adn WMD Guide Dec 19, 2003
Libya has experienced major setbacks to its chemical warfare program, first as a result of intense public scrutiny focused on its Rabta facility in the late 1980s and more recently on its Tarhuna underground facility. After the media attention at Rabta, Libya shifted its emphasis to construction of an underground chemical warfare facility at Tarhunah, southeast of Tripoli (Pravda, Russia)
Libya to give up WMD - Benefit of Iraq war . Dec 19, 2003
But chemical weapon production at Libya's underground Tarhuna facility is thought to have been suspended following intense public scrutiny. UK officials believe Libya was close to obtaining a nuclear weapons capability before the deal (Pravda, Russia)
