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SoCal Libyan Community Celebrates In Westwood


WESTWOOD (CBS/AP) — About 25 people from the Los Angeles Libyan community took part in what was planned as a rally demanding international action in Libya, but became a celebration.

The group waved Libyan flags and chanted, "free, free Libya" outside the Federal Building in Westwood Saturday.

"Obviously, we want (Qaddafi) out," Abdussalam Aburrauein of Irvine told a local television news station. "That's why people are giving their lives there. But ultimately we want the world to help us get rid of him."

"I hope this time is different (from the last time the United States attacked Libya)," another rallier said. "I hope it will be targeted carefully, and I hope it will be like surgical to end Qaddafi."

Some said they had friends in Libya who had joined the rebellion.

"We were thinking when, when is the U.S. going to go in?" said Covina resident Cereen Kephaj. "When is anyone going to go in and do something? Because one minute, one hour of delay is another hour of him killing innocent people."

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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