The (CTC) Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point have identified the coastal cities of Libya’s eastern Cyrenaica region as al-Qaeda strongholds which Gadaffi has kept in check.
It is suspected that the "rebels" who we are helping today are actually supported by groups from the same areas.
That still does not mean that Libya is going to be summarily turned over to them when Kadaffy is gone.