Cairo, Feb 17: Just a week after he stepped down as Egypt's undisputed ruler for 30 years, a severely ailing Hosni Mubarak "has given up and wants to die" in his home country and has rejected offers of asylum in other states, a top Saudi official has said.
The longtime Egyptian President Mubarak is "not doing well, but is refusing to leave his homeland," a Saudi official told American network CBS.
82-year-old Mubarak, who is suffering from health problems, turned down Saudi Arabia's offer to visit the kingdom, saying he was determined to see out his days in Egypt, Al Arabiya quoted a Saudi official as saying.
Official confirmation could not immediately be obtained from the Saudi government.
In his last speech on state TV, Mubarak said he would not flee from the his country and vowed to die in Egypt.
A number of Egyptian newspapers on Monday reported that Mubarak went into a full coma on Saturday night at his Sharm al-Sheikh residence.
Egyptian daily 'Al-Masry Al-Youm' reported that soon after moving to the resort, Mubarak who ruled Egypt for 30 years was gravely ill and had slipped into a coma.
But a pro-government newspaper denied the report and said the leader was in severe psychological condition and was declining treatment.
The Egyptian President had been in Germany for gall bladder treatment month's before the protests against him started.
Britain's 'Daily Telegraph' quoting witnesses at the resort said that the former President may be suffering from cancer.
Mubarak spends more time within the confines of his new residence in Sharm el-Sheikh and only comes out to get clean air and sea breeze to recover from ailments. PTI
