Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi hasn’t been the victim of a popular uprising. That is the conviction of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has been a friend of Gaddafi till Italy became one of the leading countries behind NATO’s war against Libya in March.

"This has nothing to do with a popular uprising. The Libyan people love Gaddafi, as I was able to see when I went to Libya", Berlusconi said on Friday during a party meeting in Rome.

He said he suspects there was a plot against Gaddafi.

"Powerful people decided to give life to a new era by trying to oust Gaddafi," Berlusconi said, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

In July Berlusconi already said he was against NATO intervention in Libya but "had to go along with it", therewith exposing the fragility of the alliance trying to murder Gaddafi.

He added: "What choice did I have considering America’s pressure, President Georgio Napolitano’s stance, and the Parliament’s decision?"

Italians protesting against the current NATO massacre in Sirte, Bani Walid, Sebha and other Libyan cities.

Meanwhile the Italian people protested against NATO’s war on Libya and its current relentless terror bombing during a strike for better work conditions in Rome on September 6, saying: "There is a silent massacre going on in Libya!" and "Don’t let Sirte, Bani Walid and Sebha become the new Fallujah or the new Guernica".

Another protest in front of the Parliament in Rome: "We welcome the African refugees from Libya" and "NATO get out of Libya!" on September 8.