Cameron wants no-fly zone over Tripoli

British Prime Minister David Cameron has raised the prospect of more aggressive international action against Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in an effort to prevent him carrying out further attacks on his own people.

Cameron has ordered British government officials to draw up plans with Britain's allies for a no-fly zone over Libya.

He also suggested that anti-regime forces could be armed to help oust the dictator.

The intervention came as Col Gaddafi again dismissed demands to quit, insisting his people "loved" him and blaming al-Qaida for the uprising.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Cameron said the international community could not tolerate the "illegitimate" regime using military force on the civilian population and warned that they needed to be ready to act if the repression worsened.

"We do not in any way rule out the use of military assets. We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people," he told MPs. "In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone."

Asked whether Britain would be willing to arm rebel groups, Mr Cameron said: "If helping the opposition would somehow bring that about it is certainly something we should be considering."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, attending the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that America was also actively looking at the possibility of a no-fly zone: "All options are on the table. That of course includes a no-fly zone."

The Libyan deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim al-Dabashi - one of a number of diplomats to desert the regime - said it was "very important" to have a no-fly zone to "prevent the dictator using helicopters to terrorise people in the streets".

"He uses these helicopters to shoot on people," he told BBC Radio 4's 'PM' programme. "People are afraid to go to the streets whenever they see the helicopters."

In an interview with the BBC on Monday night, Col Gaddafi insisted his people "loved" him.

"They love me, all my people love me," he said. "They would die to protect me."

Asked why so many appeared to be rebelling, he blamed al-Qaida fighters. "This is al-Qaida, not my people," Col Gaddafi said. "They come from outside."

Meanwhile, Libyan rebels in the city of Zawiya have repelled an attempt by pro-Gaddafi forces to retake the city closest to the capital during overnight fighting.

They fought back troops who attacked from six different directions. There was no word on casualties in the city, 30 miles west of Tripoli.