World Notes LIBYA

All the likely suspects who might be linked to the fire that devastated Libya's Rabta chemical plant, which the U.S. claims produces chemical weapons, were denying culpability last week. But they no doubt were pleased that the deed had been done. According to the Pentagon, the fire caused "massive" damage to the main building of the complex 50 miles southwest of Tripoli. Said a U.S. intelligence analyst: "The plant's finished."

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi first blamed the U.S., then Israel and finally West Germany for sabotaging the installation, which Tripoli maintains is designed to manufacture pharmaceuticals. Officials in all three countries said they did not know what happened in Rabta and suggested the blaze might have started accidentally.

But there were plenty of motives for skulduggery. The U.S. has privately threatened to destroy the Rabta plant in the past, and only a week before the fire confirmed that the factory had already produced up to 30 tons of mustard gas. The Israelis are eager to score points with Washington, with whom ! relations are at a low ebb. Bonn may be anxious to atone for the fact that a West German company helped build the facility.

With tighter international embargoes on Libya, Washington doubts that Gaddafi will be able to rebuild. "It's a darned shame," said U.S. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, grinning.