AL BAYDA, Libya - The head of Libya's rebel National Libyan Council opposing the rule of Muammar Gaddafi on Friday vowed: "Victory or death."

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"We are people who fight, we don't surrender. Victory or death. We will not stop till we liberate all this country ... The time of hypocrisy is over," ex-justice minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil told cheering crowds.

"Libya is free and Gaddafi must go", the crowds chanted.

Another chant said rebels would take their uprising to Gaddafi's stronghold of Tripoli. "The next round shall take place in the capital," they shouted.

"There could be members of the old regime here among us. Your enemy can still put his people among you. Don't listen to them and let them ruin our revolution," Abdel Jalil said.

"The old regime is over," he added. "You must keep all of Libya safe. Stop destroying buildings. They are ours now. It is being a bad Muslim to do something like this."

Abdel Jalil made the short speech in the central square in the town of Al Bayda in the rebel-held east of the country next to the burned out state security headquarters.

The red, black and green flag, adopted by the rebels, waved from buildings and men carrying assault rifles were posted on roofs and next to the crowd who were peaceful, enthusiastic and defiant.