Reports of Bad Health Grow for Egypt's Mubarak

Sharm el-Shiekh, the Egyptian resort town on the Red Sea, where most reports place Hosni Mubarak at the moment.

/ ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images

It has been three days since former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was deposed from office, and four days since he last made a public appearance on state-run television. Those are the only things anyone outside of his inner circle knows for certain about the 82-year-old.

Questions about his health, wealth and whereabouts have been swirling since last week, and the Egyptian ambassador to the U.S., Sameh Shoukry, tried to shed some light on the first one Monday.

Speaking Monday on NBC's "Today" show, Shoukry said he "might have received some communication at a personal level that (Mubarak) is possibly in somewhat of bad health," but said he was unable to give further details.

Shoukry admitted he had not been in direct contact with Mubarak since the ex-president left office, adding that for the most part he is also just "following the rumors and press reports."

Two Cairo newspapers said Mubarak was refusing to take medication, depressed and repeatedly passing out at his residence in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The Associated Press said they were unable to confirm the reports. 

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There were also rumors in the Egyptian press that Mubarak had slipped into a coma, and that he was possibly in the terminal stages of cancer. The most recent official update from Mubarak on his health came last year, when he had surgery in Germany to remove his gallbladder.

On Sunday, the German ambassador to Egypt put to rest rumors that Mubarak had traveled back to Germany to receive treatment for cancer after leaving office. Mubarak would have needed a visa, and as yet had not applied for one.

The U.K. daily Guardian reported Sunday that a guard near Mubarak's Sharm el-Sheikh residence had let slip that Mubarak was indeed at his resort home, but could not get further details out of the guard.

Meanwhile, international momentum was building to move against international assets of Mubarak, his family and regime officials, the AP reports.

The United States is examining requests from Egypt's new government to freeze the assets of top Mubarak aides, but not the president himself, a senior U.S. official told the AP. The European Union will also discuss the request, said British Foreign Secretary William Hague. Luxembourg's prime minister said the EU should follow Switzerland's lead in moving to identify and freeze the deposed president's assets.

[euge005]

I bet it is a ruse to hide his stolen money from the people of Egypt. He will be declared dead, and whisked off the Saudi Arabia & his whole clan will be behind the scenes hiding accounts and bodies. Look at Enron. They got caught. The top guy died suddenly (and fortunately for the family) so the gov could not go after the money.

[redbeachvn]

I hope the Egyptians can track down the billions they must have squirrel away. The other side of the coin on having those ill gotten gains is that there must be legions of hungry crooks, scam and con artists and kidnappers out there itching to grab Gamal or his off springs. If I was in Gamal's shoes, I'd have at least a platoon of security people around me at all times and I'd be sleeping with one eye open. It doesn't matter whether he lives in Egypt or UK.

[Jaylah54]

Oh bull$#*+. Three days ago he was in good enough health to stay President of Egypt until September.