Mubarak suffers stroke

The state news agency MENA reported that Mubarak had been declared clinically dead by his doctors on Tuesday. Medical personnel had used a defibrillator to jumpstart the 84-year old's heart before he was transferred from prison, according to the Interior Ministry.

But three sources in the military and security services told the Reuters news agency that Mubarak was being kept alive on a respirator and would not use the term "clinically dead" to describe his condition.

General Said Abbas, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), said that while Mubarak had suffered a stroke, "any talk of him being clinically dead is nonsense."

Mubarak has suffered heart problems since he was forced to step down in February 2011 after an 18-day uprising against his regime. He was convicted for complicity in the killing of some 800 protesters during the uprising and sentenced to life in prison on June 2.

Tension with military council

Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood insisted on Tuesday that it did not want a confrontation with the ruling military generals who issued a decree after the election assuming legislative powers until a new parliament is elected.

The Islamist party does believe, however, that a dialogue is needed over the measures taken by the military council.

Just days before, the army implemented a court order dissolving the Brotherhood-led parliament.

"Nobody in Egypt is above the state and the constitution ... Everyone must abide by the popular will," said Yasser Ali, spokesman for the Brotherhood's leader Mohammed Morsi's presidential campaign.

Thousands gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square and outside the parliament building, as well as in the city of Alexandria, on Tuesday to protest the army's moves.

Two sides claim victory

Meanwhile, a campaign spokesman for Ahmed Shafiq's campaign said their candidate had won the Egyptian presidential election, countering the Brotherhood's claims that Morsi was the winner.

"Gen. Ahmed Shafiq is the next president of Egypt," said spokesman Ahmed Sarhan, going on to say that Shafiq won some 500,000 votes more than Morsi. He said Shafiq won 51.5 percent of the vote and that Morsi's claim of victory was false.

The Brotherhood first announced Morsi's victory early Monday, several hours after the polls had closed. It said its claim was based on returns announced by election officials from counting centers around the country.

The official result will be announced on Thursday.

slk/jm (AFP, Reuters)