afrol News, 28 January - First reports from Egypt claim President Hosni Mubarak has already left the country on a private jet heading towards Europe. These are still unconfirmed rumours, strengthened by his failure to appear on TV as announced.
As the first regional media, Arabic-language 'Akhbar Al Arab' is now reporting that President Mubarak "has left Egypt on a private jet headed for London."
Speculations about Mr Mubarak's destiny are however pointing in every way in Cairo. They span from the unpopular President's close planning with army leaders on how to increase pressure on the protesters and sit out the current crisis - to rumours he has already left the country.
While local report differ from battle between protesters and the armed forces to fraternising between the two parties, it still remains unclear whether army leaders still are loyal to the 83-year-old President.
President Mubarak was supposed to hold a televised speech more than three hours ago, according to an earlier announcement by the state broadcaster. He has however failed to turn up.
Some hold this failure to make a speech is due to the protesters' control of the entrance of the state broadcaster's entrance. Others hold that Mr Mubarak has lost the opportunity to give a meaningful message to the Egyptian people after he ordered his troops to fire against demonstrators.
But among many others, the rumour is spreading that Mr Mubarak is not longer in power - that he is either preparing for his departure or that he has already left the country.
Other details that may give credibility to that rumour is the fact that Egyptian Air has cancelled all its flights and that Egyptian airport are now off limit to ordinary citizens. This could have been a move to prepare for the President's departure.
While 'Akhbar Al Arab' has already reported on Mr Mubarak's departure, there has been presented no concrete proof that he has actually left. No authoritative source has confirmed the report as yet.
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