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CAIRO — Hosni Mubarak's health worsened Monday, with doctorstwice having to use a defibrillator on the imprisoned formerleader, adding to the tumult in Egypt before this weekend's runoffelection for president. Mubarak, 84, was slipping in and out of consciousness, wassuffering from high blood pressure and breathing difficulties, andwas in a deep depression, according to security officials at Torahprison where he is serving a life sentence. Doctors there could notfind a pulse twice, and used the defibrillator, they said. The deposed leader, who was being given liquids intravenously, alsolost consciousness several times Sunday. His health crisis came at time of political anxiety in Egypt, witha former prime minister from the Mubarak regime facing an Islamistin a showdown at the ballot box on June 16-17. "He is causing everyone a headache," said Ahmed Badawi, a liberalactivist who participated in last year's Arab Spring uprising thatousted Mubarak. "There are daily rumors that he died and where heis held is also a thorny issue. He is definitely feeding thenervousness we are all living in these days." Egypt is in the home stretch of a 16-month transitional periodoverseen by the military council that succeeded him – a timethat has seen the rising power of the Islamists, deadly streetprotests and gross human rights abuses blamed on the generals,including the torture of detainees and trials for civilians infront of military tribunals. The generals have promised to hand over power to a civilianadministration by July 1, about 10 days after the winner of therunoff is announced. The election pits Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's lastprime minister, against Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. But that all could be thrown into chaos Thursday if Egypt's highestcourt – the Supreme Constitutional Court – rules thatlegislation banning Mubarak regime figures from running for officeis constitutional. Shafiq would be booted out of the race, therunoff would be canceled and the first round of voting would berepeated. The court could also uphold a lower court ruling that the lawgoverning parliamentary elections held over three months startingin November was unconstitutional. That decision could lead to thedissolution of the Islamist-dominated parliament or a partialrepeat of the election. Shafiq, like Mubarak a former air force officer, is widely viewedas the quintessential "feloul," or remnant of the old regime. Hislaw and order platform has resonated among many Egyptiansfrustrated by persistently tenuous security, a faltering economyand a seemingly endless wave of protests, sit-ins and strikes. While a Shafiq win will most likely lead to an eruption ofprotests, a Morsi presidency is widely feared to serve as a vehiclefor more religion in government and restrictions on freedoms, aprospect that liberals, leftists, women and minority Christiansfind to be alarming. Should Mubarak die in the coming days, it could also have an impacton the result of the runoff. "We are a very emotional people. So, if Mubarak dies before theelection, there will be an outpouring of sympathy for the regime,and Shafiq can certainly benefit from that," said Mahmoud Zaki, apolitical activist and a Brotherhood member. "When Mubarak'sgrandson died several years ago, we all forgot what he did for usand we mourned with him the loss of the young boy." Morsi, on the other hand, has vowed to retry Mubarak if he wins thepresidency, but many believe that his pledge was pandering to theyouth, pro-democracy groups that engineered last year's anti-regimeuprising. Mubarak has been held in the intensive care ward of the prisonhospital south of Cairo since June 2, when he was convicted offailing to prevent the killing of protesters in the February 2011uprising. He was sentenced to life in prison. His two sons, onetime heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessmanAlaa, were at his bedside, the security officials said on conditionof anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to themedia. The sons also are being held at the prison, awaiting trialon insider trading charges after they and their father wereacquitted June 2 of corruption charges. Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, visited him Sunday and, according to theofficials, demanded that he be transferred to a better-equippedhospital outside the penal system. The officials said such atransfer was likely unless Mubarak's health improves. Mubarak's death would bring down the curtain on a chapter ofEgypt's modern history that has divided this mainly Muslim nationof 85 million people. That legacy is alive today through theShafiq-Morsi rivalry: Shafiq, a self-confessed admirer of Mubarak,is pitted against Morsi, a U.S.-trained engineer who belongs to agroup that the ousted leader spent most of his time in officecracking down on it. Mubarak's 29 years in power are the second longest by any ruler ofEgypt since the 19th century, when the Ottoman general Mohammed Aliruled the country for about 44 years ending with his death in 1849.While Mohammed Ali went down in history as the founder of modernEgypt, Mubarak's rule has been defined by corruption, policebrutality and the behind-the-scenes rise to power by a coterie ofregime-backed businessmen. But Mubarak's demise could be a gift to the next president as wellas the generals. For example, where Mubarak is held – he was detained inhospital suites from the time of his arrest in April 2011 –has been and is likely to continue to be a divisive issue, withmany Egyptians accusing authorities of showing him too muchreverence. Others continue to see him as a decorated war hero whoseold age and service to Egypt are grounds for leniency. The issue is even more sensitive to the generals, who are led byMubarak's defense minister of 20 years and who owe their ascent tohis patronage. A pardon for Mubarak or a transfer back to amilitary hospital – a luxury when compared to his prisonhospital – would confirm long held suspicions byrevolutionaries that the generals have only grudgingly ordered hisarrest and that they remain loyal to him. Mubarak would not get a military or a state funeral if he dies now,since his conviction meant that he is stripped of military rank andany claim to special treatment as a former president. "The generals will breathe easier if he is gone," said Michael W.Hanna, an Egypt expert from New York's Century Foundation. "Theongoing saga about his health, the prospect of him getting anacquittal on appeal, that is all very destabilizing and they haveto deal with it." In his last public appearance at his June 2 sentencing, thebedridden Mubarak sat stone-faced in the defendants' cage in thecourtroom, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses. Officials said hebroke into tears when he learned he was being transferred to aprison. It took officials hours to convince him to leave thehelicopter that ferried him from the courthouse to the prison. Media reports quoted Mubarak at the time as saying the militarycouncil who took over after his ouster had deceived him. "Egypt hassold me out. They want me to die here," he reportedly said. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China Air Stream Dryer , Vacuum Drying Machine Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Rotary Drum Dryer today!
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