ROME - Tension between diplomats in Rome representing the rival governments of Libya has climaxed with the stabbing in the street of one embassy staffer by an embassy security goon, police sources said Thursday.

 Adel Gibran, until recently secretary to the financial attaché at one of the Libyan legations, was stabbed in the face by Mohammed S., an embassy security official supporting the opposite faction to Gibran, Il Messaggero newspaper quoted police saying.

 The attack happened in front of the sprawling Libyan Embassy building on the Via Nomentana, which has been closed for weeks because of the squabbling between the rival Tobruk and Tripoli based governments over who should have the right to use the facility.

  "I was accompanying my daughter to school when I saw Mohammed," Gibran said, "he shouted 'Wershafana bastard, if I see you again I will kill you and your wife."

 Gibran was rushed to the Sandro Pertini hospital and subsequently denounced the attacker to the Carabinieri. The Embassy has been closed on orders of Ambassador Ahmed Safar who has refused orders from the new Libyan government in Tobruk to resign to make way for Chargé d'Affaires Ezzedin al Awami. Al Awami has been operating from the Libyan Embassy to the Holy See and a hotel in Prati.

  The Tobruk givernment already had requested that the assailant, a supporter of the Tripoli-based 'illegal' government, be removed from his old post and return home. Now he may be expelled by Italian police. Against this background a fourth round of talks between the rival Libyan factions may be held in Rome to try and end the renewed civil war under way since last year in the north African country, diplomatic sources say.