The Gaddafi regime ' cracking ' as new defections loom-Belfast Telegraph

David Cameron's Government has shown it in urgent conversations with up to 10 higher figures in the regime of Colonel Gaddafi creaking about possible defection, after the dramatic arrival in Britain of chief henchman of the Libyan dictator for many of his 40 years in power.

As a former Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa (below) to "talk voluntarily" British officials yesterday, it was reported, was the Libyan regime to limit the damage of the desertion, suggests that he was exhausted and suffering mental health problems struggling.

But her ability to stop the domino effect turned out to be limited. It is understood that British officials have been in contact with up to 10 leading Libyan officials on following Mr Koussa of lead and forsake Gaddafi.

The apostasy of Mr Koussa, who flew in Farnborough airport from Tunisia on Wednesday, was seized upon by Mr Cameron as proof that the regime was crumbling.

Speaking at a press conference at Downing Street, Mr Cameron said: "the decision by the former Minister of Libyan to come to London to resign is a decision by someone on top. It tells a compelling story of despair right at the top of the crumbling and rotten Gaddafi regime. "

As Libyan diplomats at the United Nations said they expected further defections and reports emerged that a senior figure in the London Embassy of the country had changed sides, said Mr. Cameron others should now "come to their senses".

Meanwhile, speculation in Tripoli that a series of defections was not forthcoming.

And it was reinforced by the confirmation that Abussalam Ali Treki, a top Libyan official who as Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of the UNITED NATIONS served, on the "spilling of blood" by government troops had quit.

Rumours by the Libyan capital most closely focused on Abu Omar said Dudali, head of the foreign secret service; Mohammed Zwei, the |Secretary of the General People's Congress; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Ati al-Obeidi, who accompanied Moussa Koussa to at least as far as Tunis on the first leg of what turned out to be his flight, and — despite a statement that he in his Office in Tripoli was — Shokri Ghanem, Minister of oil.

Rebels claimed that Dudali has been sent to "liquidate" Mr Koussa, but instead became a member of a group of officials at the airport of Tunisia's Djerba who were planning to defect.

The disappearing henchmen ... who has jumped ship, and which can follow

Mustafa Mohamed Abud al-Jeleil

Libya the former Justice Minister resigned on 21 February on the regime "the excessive use of force against the demonstrators". He later claimed that Colonel Gaddafi personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing.

Al-Ali Abdussalam Treki

The senior Libyan politician defected allegedly yesterday after decades of service to the Gaddafi regime, including stints as Minister of Foreign Affairs and representative of the United Nations.

Adbdullah Senussi

The whereabouts of Colonel Gaddafi brother-in-law — who is also his top security adviser — were unknown yesterday, leading to speculation that he joined the ranks of defectors to could.

Shukri Ghanem

Libyan opposition television reported that Libya oil Minister one of four officials waiting at the airport of Tunisia's Djerba on Wednesday in the hope of joining Moussa Koussa in London.

Said Omar Abu Dudali

Gaddafi ordered on hearing before overflowing Moussa Koussa of the head of Tripoli of foreign intelligence service, Mr Dudali, to "liquidate" him, according to sources. Mr Dudali was later said to be one of the officials at the airport of Djerba.

Mohammed Abu-al-Qasim al-Zwei (Secretary of people's Congress), al-Ubaydi Al-Ati (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs), Abdel Fattah al-Abidi Younes (Interior Minister) and the former Ambassador of Libya to the UN Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgham.

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