Ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi yesterday urged his supporters to engulf the country in flames.

Gaddafi, in a message aired by an Arabic television station, said his loyalists should continue the battle whether they hear his voice or not.

The broadcast of the audio tape coincided with the claim by a top military commander of the National Transitional Council (NTC) that the ousted leader is believed to be in the desert town of Bani Walid about 150 km southeast of Tripoli.

Abdel Majid Mlegta, coordinator of the Tripoli military operations room, told Reuters on Thursday “someone we trust” had said Gaddafi had gone to Bani Walid with a son, Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi three days after the capital fell to rebel forces last week.

“They wanted to set up an operations room there and conduct aggressive operations against us. We have talked to notables from Bani Walid to arrest him and hand him over. They haven’t responded. We are assessing our position.”

The commander said Ali al-Ahwal, Gaddafi’s coordinator for tribes, was also in Bani Walid, a bastion of the powerful Warfalla tribe, Libya’s biggest.

“In four days we will come with up a solution. We are capable of ending the crisis but military action is out of the question right now.

“We cannot attack this tribe because many of our brigades in Benghazi and Zintan are from Bani Walid. The sons of Bani Walid hold the key to the solution.”

NTC fighters said earlier this week that they were 30 km from Bani Walid.

The NTC has given pro-Gaddafi forces in the coastal city of Sirte, the deposed leader’s hometown, until Saturday to surrender or face attack.

Muammar Gaddafi called Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to negotiate a passage into his country but the latter refused to take his call, a local newspaper reported on Thursday.

Algeria announced on Monday that Gaddafi’s wife, two of his sons and his daughter had crossed into its territory, prompting Libya’s ruling interim council to demand that they be handed back to face trial.

Quoting a source close to the Algerian presidency, Algeria’s El Watan newspaper said Gaddafi was believed to be on the Libyan-Algerian border town of Ghadamis.

His location remains unknown more than a week after Tripoli fell to his foes.

A top military commander of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) said on Thursday he was believed to be in the desert town of Bani Walid about 150km southeast of Tripoli.

“Gaddafi tried to reach President Bouteflika by phone but he refused to take the call.

“A presidential adviser excused him saying he was absent and busy with events in Algeria,” El Watan quoted the source as saying in a report on its website.

It was not clear when the call was made.

“It is not the first time that Gaddafi and some of his aides have tried to get in touch with the president for potential negotiations.

“However, the Algerian position is clear and neutral and we refuse to get involved in Libya’s internal affairs,” it quoted the source as saying.

No one was immediately available for comment from the Algerian government.

Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said on Thursday Algeria would not give refuge to Gaddafi himself, although it had allowed Gaddafi’s wife and three of his children to enter the country.

The NTC has denounced the move as an act of aggression.

El Watan quoted the source as saying the NTC had been told about Gaddafi family members crossing into Algeria.

Algeria is the only one of Libya’s North African neighbours yet to recognise the NTC, whose fighters have taken control of the capital Tripoli and much of the rest of the country, ending Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule.

Medelci said Algeria would recognise Libya’s new leaders when they establish a representative government.

Algerian officials say they are concerned Islamist militants have infiltrated the NTC and that al Qaeda’s North African wing will exploit the chaos in Libya to acquire weapons and explosives.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/18145-gaddafi-hiding-in-bani-walid-says-ntc-commander.html