As NATO forces bombed Colonel Muammar Qaddafi’s compound early Thursday, the head of the rebel National Transitional Council executive bureau, Mahmoud Jebril, is preparing to meet with senior White House officials in Washington in a plea for financial aid. U.S.-educated Jebril has become the de facto face of the rebel council, and is asking the U.S. government to free up around $180 million in frozen Qaddafi funds to help support the rebels. “We are facing a very acute … financial problem because of the frozen assets,” said Jebril. “So I would like to seize this opportunity … to call on the United States administration to help us.” Their meeting comes a day after rebel council chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil met British prime minister David Cameron to request similar support.
Rebel forces currently control much of the east of the country, while Qaddafi maintains his hold in Tripoli.
Libya rebels seek funds in White House meeting [Reuters]
