An encouraging start for the new Libya

The press conference by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of the National Transitional Council, was encouraging. Jalil stressed that he wished Libya to be a country governed by the rule of law and urged his supporters not to indulge in revenge attacks. He also stressed that Gaddafi will be given a ‘fair’ trial.

In an echo of the text message that the rebels sent out last night, Jalil encouraged Libyans to protect both private and public property. There is clearly a desire to avoid the kind of post-liberation looting that was so corrosive to public order in Baghdad.

In terms of the broader political framework, Jalil emphasised that he wanted Libya to be a democratic state with equality under the law but within a moderate Islamic framework. What this translates to in practice remains to be seen. But those who have visited the towns that have long been under rebel control have impressed by their governmental competence.