Gaddafi's will surfaces, requests he be buried in Sirte

A will written by murdered Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has been discovered, requesting that he be buried in Sirte.

The will, which surfaced on Gaddafi's Seven Day News website, came as at a time when Libya's new leaders are still undecided on whether to hand the ex-Libyan strongman's body to his relatives or to conduct a private burial.

The will is said to be the only surviving copy of three identical testaments given to Gaddafi's relatives.

In the will, Gaddafi expresses his wish to be buried in Sirte, the town of his birth, next to his family and relatives.

He also urges his supporters to continue to resist foreign occupation, while alluding to the fact that he chose to fight and die inside Libya.

This is the will, translated into English:

"This is my will. I, Muammar bin Mohammad bin Abdussalam bi Humayd bin Abu Manyar bin Humayd bin Nayil al Fuhsi Gaddafi, do swear that there is no other God but Allah and that Mohammad is God's Prophet, peace be upon him.

I pledge that I will die as Muslim. Should I be killed, I would like to be buried, according to Muslim rituals, in the clothes I was wearing at the time of my death and my body unwashed, in the cemetery of Sirte, next to my family and relatives.

I would like that my family, especially women and children, be treated well after my death. The Libyan people should protect its identity, achievements, history and the honourable image of its ancestors and heroes.

The Libyan people should not relinquish the sacrifices of the free and best people. I call on my supporters to continue the resistance, and fight any foreign aggressor against Libya, today, tomorrow and always.

Let the free people of the world know that we could have bargained over and sold out our cause in return for a personal secure and stable life. We received many offers to this effect but we chose to be at the vanguard of the confrontation as a badge of duty and honour.

Even if we do not win immediately, we will give a lesson to future generations that choosing to protect the nation is an honour and selling it out is the greatest betrayal that history will remember forever despite the attempts of the others to tell you otherwise."