U.S., UK Play Secret Role in Tripoli Collapse; Gadhafi Still in Libya

After six months of uprising against Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan rebels assumed control of major part of capital city of Tripoli on Tuesday with taking the 42-year regime of the dictator near to end.

Proving the rumors of his arrest by rebellions baseless, Gadhafi's heir son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi held a press conference in Tripoli and claimed that the West is spreading rumors to create chaos in the country whose capital is still in control of his father's government.

He arrived in the bastion in a four-wheel-drive, to the cheers of dozens of awaiting supporters waving Libyan national flags and portraits of Saif and his father, whose whereabouts is still a myth. Saif said his father is still in Tripoli and safe, though the claim is hard to verify, Xinhua reported.

Earlier in the day, Saif made a brief visit to the Rixos hotel where dozens of foreign reporters are staying, arriving in a convoy of armored Land Cruisers, more than a day after rebels claimed they had captured him, the report added.

Meanwhile, different reports suggested that Nato allies deployed their forces and intelligence services in Libya secretly in order to pave path for rebel forces to Tripoli.

Telegraph in its report disclosed that British military and intelligence officers helped Libyan rebels plan their attack, and the Royal Air Force (RAF) launched coordinated raids to clear the way of rebels to advance into Tripoli.

The report also said that MI6 (British Secret Intelligence Service) officers in Benghazi made battle plans with the major anti-Gadhafi force, Transitional National Council.

The constantly-updated tactical advice provided by British experts to the rebel leaders centered on the need to spark a fresh uprising within Tripoli that could be used as the cue for fighters to advance on the city. But when it finally came, the speed with which it achieved its goal took everyone, including the rebels, by surprise, the Telegraph report added.

Associated Press also suggested covert involvement of the U.S. forces and the CIA in the Tripoli takeover. The report indicated towards logistic support, security advices, major intelligence and forward air controllers for the rebel fighters.

The CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies have been gathering information throughout the conflict from contacts they'd developed when they were working closely with Gadhafi's government on counter terrorism against al-Qaida-related Islamic militant groups operating in Libya. This thawing of relations between two longtime adversaries, lasting only a few years, paid unexpected dividends later, the AP report added.

Associated Press also quoted a U.S. official, who on condition of anonymity, said: The Qatari military led the way, augmented later by French, Italian and British military advisers. This effort had a multiple purpose, not only assisting the rebels but monitoring their ranks and watching for any al-Qaida elements trying to infiltrate or influence the rebellion.

We simply followed the way the opposition fronts moved... Gadhafi's forces usually came out to meet the rebels, and that's when we struck, AP quoted a Nato official as saying.

Meanwhile, Nato Secretary General Andres Fogh Rasmussen asked Gadhafi to step down to spare his people further suffering.

The sooner Gadhafi realizes that he cannot win the battle against his own people, the better, Rasmussen said in a televised statement.

With an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant out for his arrest Gaddafi's options for exile are limited. The Pentagon still believes that the dictator is very much in Libya and has not fled the country.

It's probably fair to stay that we believe he's still in the country. We do not have information that he's left the country, military spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said.