Libyan groups plot political strategy, seek support against Gadhafi

Washington (CNN) — Libyan-American activist groups believe it won’t take long to achieve a change of regime in Libya, now that outside forces are helping constrain the dictatorship of Moammar Gadhafi.

Thanking those countries that have contributed to international enforcement of a United Nations resolution designed to protect the Libyan people from attacks by Gadhafi’s forces, the country’s former ambassador to the United States said this will enable the people to soon take charge.

“I think in these coming three or four days … that will be a better vision to see how things are going,” Ali Suleiman Aujali told reporters at a Thursday news conference. Aujali said he is encouraged by reports that top aides to Gadhafi have “tried to find out maybe a way out for Gadhafi and his family.”

Senior U.S. officials, however, have told CNN none of the overtures to American officials from Libya have suggested Gadhafi was ready to leave.

The former Libyan ambassador and several U.S.-based opposition groups held the news conference on behalf of people they call “freedom fighters” in Libya who, they said, need international support. To back what they portrayed as a pro-democracy uprising, activists said the opposition in Libya is forming a shadow government ready to step in.

The director of the U.S.-based Libyan Emergency Task Force, Esam Omeish, told reporters an opposition council in Libya that hopes to replace the Gadhafi regime has named a prime minister and a foreign minister.

He said “in the past 24 to 48 hours they have also formed what’s called an interim government, where they have assigned more positions in more specific capacities in a governing capacity as well.”

But Omeish, describing continued attacks against civilians Thursday, was less optimistic Gadafi is ready to accept a cease-fire, let alone step down from power. “It’s an ongoing massacre in some quarters,” he said, “so the idea of this being at any point where it’s going to stop is not something that we see.”

The groups pleaded with international supporters to continue helping Libya fight its own battle against Gadhafi. “We’re looking for training support, logistical support and training. They’re not looking for boots on the ground,” said Fadel Lamen, the head of the American-Libyan Council, “Libya has a history of not accepting any foreign troops, and I think they are not asking.”

Meantime, the formation of an opposition governing council is expected to generate diplomatic and additional political support toward a change of power in Libya.

“This will allow the council to be the body who’ll deal with the international community,” said Aujali, the Libyan diplomat who renounced the Gadafi regime in recent weeks to help the opposition.

He said within his country, “the council has been recognized by most Libyans in different geographical constituencies,” 80% of which, he added, are now loyal to the organized opposition.