CAIRO CAIRO — Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak is to step down tonight, two sources told NBC News, amid widespread protests against his 30-year rule that have gripped the country.
Following an all-day meeting of the country's supreme military council, the army said all the protesters' demands would be met and a further statement was due to be made later Thursday, clarifying the situation.
NBC News reported that a high-ranking source inside the president's office said that Mubarak would step down and the newly appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman, would take over. This was then confirmed by a second source.
The news came following repeated warnings of a military crackdown or coup.
Mubarak was expected to formally announce his departure in an address to the nation tonight.
He was not present at Thursday's supreme council meeting, despite being the commander in chief of Egypt's armed forces. Suleiman, a former army general and intelligence chief named to his post after the protests erupted Jan. 25, was also not there.
A spokesman read a statement that the council was in permanent session to explore "what measures and arrangements could be made to safeguard the nation, its achievements and the ambitions of its great people."
The statement was labeled "communique number 1," a phrasing that The Associated Press said suggested a military coup could be under way.
Footage on state TV showed Defense Minster Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi chairing the meeting of two dozen stern-faced army officers, seated around a table. At Tantawi's right was military chief of staff Gen. Sami Anan.
State TV announced that the supreme council had expressed its "support of the legitimate demands of the people."
Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told thousands of protesters in central Tahrir Square, "All your demands will be met today."
'Mission accomplished'
Thousands of Egyptian protesters gathered in central Cairo roared their approval after reports came that Mubarak was to step down.
Some in the crowd held up their hands in V-for-victory signs, shouting "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," a victory cry used by secular and religious people alike.
"The army and the people in one hand, the army and the people are united," protesters chanted in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which has become the locus of the mass movement pressing for Mubarak’s ouster, Al Jazeera reported.
"Mission accomplished. Thanks to all the brave young Egyptians #Jan25," Google executive and protest leader Wael Ghonim tweeted.
"I called my brother. He is in Tahrir Square and the people are fired up," said Hany Eissa, a 36-year-old Egyptian filmmaker who has attended the protests almost daily. "They are waiting for the demands to be met."
"If you deal with someone who is fluent in lying all the time, you don’t know what’s going to happen. We just hope that this time would be serious," he added.
More world news NBC News: Egypt's Mubarak to step down
Updated 3 minutes ago 2/10/2011 4:13:07 PM +00:00 Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak is to step down after 17 days of pro-democracy protests, two sources told NBC News on Thursday.
"I'm expecting him to pass his decision for the constitution amendments and for him to go to the constitution and transmit his authorities as president to his vice president," Badrawi told Channel 4 News.
Badrawi added that Mubarak had made the decision reluctantly.
"He sees himself as someone who served his country," Badrawi said. "He made mistakes but he sees himself as someone that does not deserve getting out of power, of his service, that way. At the same time he realizes that it's the time to change. That's my impression in the last two days."
The news came as protesters defied government threats of a military crackdown with doctors in white lab coats and lawyers in black robes streaming into the square as labor unrest spread across the country.
Strikes, protests, rioting
The strikes had given powerful momentum to Egypt's wave of anti-government protests — now in their 17th day — and with its efforts to manage the crisis failing, the government threatened the army could impose martial law.
And, for the second day, crowds angry over lack of housing rioted in the Suez Canal city of Port Said.
They set fire to the local headquarters of state security, the main post office and the governor's offices, which had already been partially burned the day before. It appeared police and soldiers were not intervening.
News that Mubarak was to stand down came shortly after the regime seemed to be threatening a military crackdown.
Speaking to the Arab news network Al-Arabiya on Thursday, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that if "adventurers" take over the process of reform the military "will be compelled to defend the constitution and national security ... and we'll find ourselves in a very grave situation."
The night earlier, he was more explicit, saying in an interview with "PBS NewsHour" that there would be chaos if Mubarak stepped down immediately.
"Do we want the armed forces to assume the responsibility of stabilizing the nation through imposing martial law, and army in the streets?" he said.
It was the second coup warning to the protesters this week, with Prime Minister Omar Suleiman making similar threats Tuesday.
