Libyan officials claim they intercepted two boats carrying weapons from Qatar intended for rebels fighting against pro-Gaddafi forces. 

Government spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim said 11 rebels and "many weapons" were seized off the shore near Janzour, west of Tripoli, early Monday.

He said the cache was intercepted as its was being transported from a Tunisian-flagged ship to two small Libyan boats manned by rebels, Al Jazeera reports.

France last week admitted supplying arms to Libyan civilians.

Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim said the attempt to bring arms in by sea was a "new form of arms shipments" after France air-dropped weapons. Kaaim added:

We have repeatedly warned the West that these weapons could fall into the hands of Al Qaeda.

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said the government was "ready" to hold elections and create a new constitution, but calls for his father to leave the country are "a joke".  

"We will never surrender, we will fight," he said.

More Global Post coverage of Libya: Gaddafi ready to go – report