Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi vowed Tuesday to remain in Libya as head of its revolution, saying he would die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the "last drop" of his blood.

In a live speech on national television, the 68-year-old Gaddafi threatened protesters saying "Chase them, arrest them, hand them over to the security (forces)," adding "They are only a few, they are terrorists."

Saying the people were behind him, Gaddafi ordered the army and police to crush the popular uprising against his iron-fisted four-decade rule that has already left hundreds dead in the past eight days, the AFP reported.

In his speech, Gaddafi said "Muammar Gaddafi is the leader of a revolution; Muammar Gaddafi has no official position in order for him to resign. He is the leader of the revolution forever."

"This is my country, my country," he shouted, "I will die here as a martyr in the land of my ancestors" and "will fight to the last drop of my blood."

"The Libyan people are with me," he said, calling them to "capture the rats," insinuating on anti-regime demonstrators.

"Go out of your homes and storm them" wherever they are.

Gaddafi denied that the victims of fighting that has swept the country were young people, saying that those killed from the police and the army were not youths.

He said that there was a "small sick group" that "gives drugs to these youths."

Reading from the country's penal code, he said "any Libyan who carries arms against Libyans will be punished by death."