Seif al-Islam, one of the sons of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi who was killed on Thursday by fighters of the National Transitional Council (NTC) near his home town of Sirte, vowed revenge for his father's death.
Seif al-Islam appeared on the Syria-based Alrai TV channel on Saturday night with an appeal to his supporters, saying he was alive and staying in Libya and intended to fight to the bitter end against the rebels.
"We are continuing resistance. I am in Libya, I am alive and free and willing to fight to the end and take revenge," the TV channel loyal to the Gaddafi regime quoted him as saying.
A website of Gaddafi's supporters earlier posted a statement that Seif al-Islam had been named an heir to the Libyan dictator and charged with the command of forces fighting the rebels.
Gaddafi, who had ruled Libya for 42 years, was captured by the National Transitional Council fighters seven months after an international Western-led alliance launched a military operation in Libya on March 19.
There is still much controversy over the circumstances surrounding his death.
The NTC officials claim he was caught in crossfire between loyalists and anti-Gaddafi troops but witnesses say he was shot dead point-blank by young rebels after being captured.
Gaddafi's body is currently being kept in a chiller room in a shopping center in Misrata, and hundreds of Libyans have been queuing to see it.
Sky News television reported on Sunday that Gaddafi's body will be handed to his relatives in a deal reached with Libya's interim government.
