World

News of the near-death of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak emerged as thousands crowded into Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest against the latest moves by the military council which effectively controls Egypt.

State television described the former leader as "clinically dead" and showed pictures of him during his rise to power.

Officials said he was on life support after he was rushed from prison to a military hospital in a rapidly worsening condition.

The state news agency MENA said the 84-year-old was "clinically dead" when he arrived at the hospital and that doctors used a defibrillator on him several times.

16 months after he was deposed, protesters are still trying to ensure a transition to democratic rule, accusing the military council of a coup after months of delays in adopting a new constitution, with parliament officially dissolved by a court order and with bitter, ongoing arguments about the next president, still not elected.

Among the protesters there was some acceptance of Mubarak's condition. "He died in prison, humiliated, in a very bad situation," said one. "No ruler wishes this kind of death."

Another said: "His death will not make us sad or happy. He died and we all will die." Outside the parliament building the protesters seemed more concerned that the military should not be allowed to subvert the "revolution".

At the Maadi Hospital supporters of Mubarak shouted at protesters. "He doesn't deserve that, whatever he did," one said. Another carried a portrait of the former dictator.

Mubarak had started a life sentence at Cairo's Torah Prison for failing to stop the killing of protesters during the 18-day uprising against his rule last year.

The verdict against him has already been a spark for protests: thousands massed in Tahrir when the court acquitted him and his sons on separate corruption charges and cleared several top security chiefs on the protester killings.

Mubarak's condition brought to mind former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, still in a coma on life support since a massive stroke in 2006.