Algeria may have been praised and also welcomed as a mediator by Seif al Islam Al Qathafi in an interview on El Akhbar newspaper, but Libya's rebel council is far from happy with its role. It issued a blunt warning to Libya's neighbour, insisting that it must "stop supporting Al Qathafi."

As tensions between the rebels and Algeria came to the fore, the vice president of the National Transitional Council based in Benghazi, Abdel Hafiz Ghoga accused Algeria of supporting Al Qathafi militarily in the early days of the conflict, and that it continued to support him politically.

"Our only response to Algeria is: stop supporting Al Qathafi and stop helping him terrorise and kill innocent civilians and our loved ones," Ghoga said.

Algeria has not officially recognised the rebel council, nor has it called for Al Qathafi to go.

Recalling the early days of the conflict, Ghoga said that Al Qathafi had military air support from Algeria. He added that that 4x4 vehicles had also crossed the border in support of AL Qathafi forces."

Without giving any details about current levels of support, Ghoga said they had hoped that the Algerian regime had learned its lesson and stopped these acts.

The two countries share a massive and porous border in the Sahara, and tensions appear to have heightened because Algiers backed an African Union peace plan that would leave Al Qathafi in power.

Algeria has complied with UN resolutions by freezing any assets held in Algeria by the Libyan leader, his relatives and his inner circle. It has also backed directives from the African Union and Arab League which have both withheld recognition of the rebels.

Ghoga said the council had no problems with the Algerian people, and hoped for more positive relations in future. He said: Our relationship with our Algerian brothers will be good and solid after Al Qathafi steps down.