Libyan rebel chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil said today that victory would only be achieved when Col Muammar Gaddafi was caught, 'hopefully alive'.
Speaking at a press conference in Benghazi, he hailed the end of the four-decade "Gaddafi era," after his fighters took control of most of Tripoli.
But he also warned that he could quit as head of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) if he loses control of the revolution, amid possible revenge acts by insurgents.
"The Gaddafi era is over," he said.
Abdel Jalil said he hoped Gaddafi, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, would be "captured alive so that he will be given a fair trial."
He congratulated the Libyan people "for this historic victory" and thanked NATO for its military support, while cautioning that "the real moment of victory is when Gaddafi is captured."
He acknowledged the whole of Tripoli was not under rebel control and that Gaddafi's whereabouts remained a mystery.
Abdel Jalil, a former justice minister who chairs the NTC, also called upon "our revolutionaries to respect the law and to let justice take its course," rather than to let rip with revenge attacks.
"I hail the leaders of these groups and I trust their words but some actions of some of their followers worry me. This might be the reason or the cause of my resignation," he said.
But he added: "My role after the fall (of Kadhafi) will continue unless I lose control of the goals and inspiration that I aim for ... But I expect that revolutionaries will be up to the responsibility."
He opposed any attempt by insurgents to seek retribution.
"My fear is some outlawed actions which are outside of the framework of orders they get from their leaders, specially acts of revenge ... I object strongly to any execution outside the framework of the law," he said.
"Revolutionaries are the bases of this revolution. They led the revolution against the regime by peaceful demonstrations, and then took the burden of military battles and to provide security within our cities."