Mubarak to Step Down?

Local Editor

Only Minutes before Egyptian President Husni Mubarak appears in a televised speech, news contradict on whether he is going to step down or not.
The reports by presidential sources came on Thursday on the heels of remarks by Hossan Badrawi, the general secretary of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party, who said Mubarak will "probably" address the nation in the evening and will transfer power to Vice President Omar Suleiman.

The opposition Muslim Brotherhood earlier said on its official website that Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq confirmed the possibility that the out-of-favor Egyptian president will step down within a few hours and leave amid continued pro-democracy protests.

Unconfirmed reports also said Mubarak had already travelled to the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh with his army chief of staff.

Other reports indicated that the Egyptian army has taken over presidential powers, saying it supports the legitimate demands of people and that it is taking measures to protect the people.
The director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Leon Panetta, said he had received unconfirmed reports that Mubarak would step down on Thursday evening. He said Suleiman would possibly take control.

"I've received reports that, possibly, Mubarak might do that," he told a congressional intelligence hearing. "We have not gotten specific word that he, in fact, will do that."

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted well-informed sources denying any possibility that Mubarak will step down. "The president is not stepping down and everything you heard in the media is a rumor," Anas El Fakih told Reuters.

Egypt's information minister, however, denied reports that Mubarak intended to step down, insisting that the president "is still in power."

In the meantime, the country's Supreme Council of Armed Forces convened earlier Thursday to discuss the future of Mubarak's regime.