The sense of relief is palpable, even through a poor telephone line. Matthew Dingli, a 27-year-old Maltese who remained in Tripoli throughout the six-month conflict, answers exuberantly: “It’s finally over!”

“It feels so good... even the fact that we can have this conversation. I was very scared before... people were being taken away (to prison) from everywhere. I was afraid to say certain things, even on e-mail.”

Mr Dingli, who partly owns a business in the city, had spoken to The Times some months ago when most other workers were evacuating but he decided to stay. Back then, he remained anonymous and was careful not to say anything which could land him in jail with hundreds of others.

Now, he seems to have caught the infectious feeling of liberation which has taken root in Tripoli, glad he decided not to leave the city on Sunday when a Maltese-registered ship was scheduled to evacuate foreign workers still in the city. (The ship turned back when it came under fire upon entering Tripoli port.)

“The rebels were amazing,” he says, impressed by their alertness and organisation. “They weren’t stereotypically Libyan at all!”

After overhearing a 10-hour gunfight, he saw them in action in Tajura.

“While everyone else was celebrating, the rebels stood at every corner, gun in hand, on the lookout. They were very well-prepared.”

But with fewer than 3,000 freedom fighters advancing into Tripoli, they would have been severely outnumbered if they had not found support among ordinary people in the city.

“The madman (Muammar Gaddafi) had distributed a million AK47s – one to practically every household... but no one went out to fight,” Mr Dingli says.

Col Gaddafi also gave each family a cheque of around €300.

“I’ve been living here for a year now and since the conflict started I’ve only met one person who is really in favour of Gaddafi... There are many others who have doubts about the rebel council and with Gaddafi at least they knew where they stood.”

He pointed out that the tens of thousands who filled Green Square some weeks ago in support of Gaddafi were not a fair representation. “I guarantee you that 90 per cent of them were paid to do it. And you cannot forget the fear factor.”

He says he never heard complaints about the Nato bombardments either.

“I live in an area full of villas surrounding a military camp. Nato bombed it about 100 times in the past six months. Not once did they miss. It was perfect... surgical,” he says, explaining that people in Tripoli got used to the bombings and were not even afraid of them.

“It becomes something normal. They had about 7,500 sorties and I think the only time they made a mistake they came out and said sorry.”

Living in Tripoli was tough over the past weeks, according to Mr Dingli, with huge shortages of fuel and food leading to hyperinflation of prices.

Asked how he coped, he said it was thanks to the many Libyan friends he had made who helped him out.

“Everyone just pitches in. They’re wonderful people. At times we had to hoard some things. We spent four days without electricity... you ended up having to throw away all the food.”

Now, Mr Dingli plans to stay in Libya and hopes to see it turn into a thriving country. He has a great deal of faith in the Transitional National Council, particularly its head Mustafa Jalil, who he says is loved and trusted by all Libyans.