Libyan Rebels Say Soccer Players Join Cause .

CAIRO–Libyan rebels say players and coaches from the national soccer team have announced their support for their fight to end Col. Moammar Gadhafi's 42 years in power.

The announcement was made in a video posted Saturday on a rebel Facebook page under the title "the national team announces its defection."

In it, several of the men say they are visiting rebels in the western Nafusa mountains to show support. The speakers did not identify themselves by name.

One of them says they are "announcing — not from now but from the beginning of the revolution — that we are joining it."

Another says, "God willing, Tripoli will be liberated by this mountain. This is a message to the agents to abandon their weapons because Libya will be free, sooner or later."

The BBC reported that Libya's national team goalkeeper Juma Gtat and Adel bin Issa, the coach of Tripoli's top club al-Ahly, announced their defections Saturday.