Military: Mubarak will meet protest demands
10:09 AMYahoo! BuzzShare
DiggNewsvineRedditE-mailSavePrintShare496
By Douglas Stanglin, USA TODAY
151 Comments

10 Recommend Tens of thousands of Egyptian workers walked out in mass nationwide strikes to demand wage increases and gatherd in Tahrir square to show support for the widening revolt against Mubarak's regime.
CAPTIONBy Marco Longarl, AFP/Getty ImagesUpdate at 11:07 a.m. ET: CNN's John King quotes a senior
U.S. official as saying that President Mubarak has agreed to yield power to his vice president Omar Suleiman.


The BBC quotes a senior member of Egypt's governing party as saying he "hopes" that Mubarak will transfer power to Suleiman. Hossan Badrawi, secretary general of the National Democratic Party tells the BBC that Mubarak would "most probably" speak to the nation within hours.

It remains unclear what role the military will have. The supreme council of the armed forces issued a statement saying they will stay in session indefinitely during the crisis.


An excerpt from the statement:

"Based on the responsibility of the armed forces and its commitment to protect the people and its keenness to protect the nation, and in support of the legitimate demands of the people [the army] will continue meeting on a continuous basis to examine measures to be taken to protect the nation and its gains and the ambitions of the great Egyptian people.



Update at 11:01 a.m. ET: CIA director Leon Panetta says there is a "strong likelihood" that President Mubarak will step down today.


Update at 10:50 a.m. ETGen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, tells thousands of protesters in central Tahrir Square: "All your demands will be met today."


Many among the flag-waving protesters held up a V-for-victory sign and shouted, "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," the Associated Press reports.

In addition, the head of the ruling party, Hossam Badrawi, tells the AP that he expects President Hosni Mubarak will "address the people tonight to respond to protesters demands."

Update at 10:45 a.m. ET: NBC says Mubarak will make a statement this evening and step down. A statement by the armed forces on Egyptian state TV says the military convened the supreme council of the armed forces "to safeguard people and protect their interest." Al-Jazeera TV notes that Mubarak was not shown attending that meeting.


In its statement, the military says it the council will remain in session indefinitely during the crisis. It says the decision was made in response to "legitimate" popular demands.


Update at 10:37 a.m. ET: NBC's Richard Engel says two independent sources have confirmed that Mubarak will step down. In addition, the armed forces supreme council has convened to begin the orderly transition of power, NBC says.


Update at 10:28 a.m. ET: NBC reports thatEgyptian President Hosni Mubarak at a meeting in Cairo in January, 2011. l
CAPTIONBy Amr Nabil, AP Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will step down tonight and that Vice President Omar Suleiman will take over as president.



Update at 10:23 am ET: Military and ruling party officials say President Hosni Mubarak will meet protesters' demands, the Associated Press reports.

Earlier posts: A senior Egyptian army commander has told protesters that all their demands will be met, the Associated Press reports.





At the same time, Egypt's supreme council of armed forces is meeting to discuss its position on the crisis in Egypt, Al-Jazeera network reports.

Al-Jazeera confirms the AP report and says the army will make a statement later today.