CAIRO — President Hosni Mubarak addressed an expectant Egypt on Thursday, saying that he had delegated his powers to the vice president and saying those who died during Egypt's unrest did not die in vain, according to NBC News translation.
Saying he was addressing Egypt's youth and people in Tahrir Square and the nation, he said he believed in the honesty of the demands of the protesters and their intentions.
"I am addressing from the heart," he said. "The blood of the martyrs and injured will not go in vain ... My heart aches for your heartache."
Earlier, two sources told NBC News that Mubarak was expected to step down, losing his 30-year grip on power after 17 days of dramatic mass uprisings across the nation.
NBC's Richard Engel reported that a high-ranking source inside the president's office said the newly appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman, would take over. That was confirmed by a second source.
Mubarak's speech added to the confusion over who would run the nation.
Earlier, Egypt's military announced on national television it had stepped in to secure the country and promised protesters calling for Mubarak's ouster that all their demands would soon be met.
Protesters packed in Cairo's central Tahrir Square broke into chants of "We're almost there, we're almost there" and waved V-for-victory signs as more flowed in to join them well after nightfall, bringing their numbers well over 100,000. But euphoria that they were nearing their goal of Mubarak's fall was tempered with worries that a military takeover could scuttle wider demands for true democracy. Many vowed to continue protests.
The military's moves had some trappings of an outright takeover, perhaps to push Mubarak out for the army to run the country itself in a break with the constitution. But comments by Mubarak's aides and his meetings with the top two figures in his regime — Suleiman and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq — before his speech suggested he may try to carry out a constitutionally allowed half-measure of handing his powers to Suleiman while keeping his title as president.
That step would likely not satisfy protesters, and it was not clear if the military supports such a move. The United States' CIA director Leon Panetta said Mubarak appeared poised to hand over his powers to Suleiman.
There were unconfirmed reports that Mubarak had left Cairo for the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh or gone overseas, but sources told NBC News he was still in the capital.
President Barack Obama said, "We are witnessing history unfold" in Egypt and vowed the United States would continue to support an orderly and genuine transition to democracy. But the White House gave no indication if it knew what the next steps would be. The U.S. has close ties to the Egyptian military, which gets $1.3 billion a year in aid from Washington.
'Safeguard the nation'
The dramatic developments capped 17 days of mass anti-government protests, some drawing a quarter-million people, to demand Mubarak's immediate ouster. What began as an Internet campaign swelled into the stiffest challenge ever to Mubarak's authoritarian rule, fueled by widespread frustration over government corruption, rampant poverty and unemployment.
The Associated Press reported that Mubarak was not present at Thursday's supreme military council meeting, despite being the commander in chief of Egypt's armed forces. Suleiman, a former army general and intelligence chief named to his post after the protests erupted Jan. 25, also was not there.
Footage on state TV showed Defense Minster Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi chairing the meeting of two dozen stern-faced army officers seated around a table. At Tantawi's right was military chief of staff Gen. Sami Anan.
State TV announced that the supreme council had expressed its "support of the legitimate demands of the people."
A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest opposition group, said he feared the Egyptian army was staging a military coup.
"It looks like a military coup ... I feel worry and anxiety. The problem is not with the president it is with the regime," Essam al-Erian told Reuters.
State TV's parking lot was blocked with cement blocks and razor wire and only essential staff remained in its headquarters, NBC News reported.
'Mission accomplished'
Protesters gathered in central Cairo roared their approval after reports came that Mubarak was to quit office.
"The army and the people in one hand, the army and the people are united," protesters chanted in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which has become the locus of the mass movement pressing for Mubarak’s ouster, al-Jazeera reported.
People chanted: "The people demand the fall of the regime, The regime has fallen." Others sang: "Civilian, civilian. We don't want it military" — a call for a freely elected civilian government. It remains to be seen how far the armed forces are ready to accept that.
"Mission accomplished. Thanks to all the brave young Egyptians #Jan25," Google executive and protest leader Wael Ghonim tweeted.
Other protesters were more cautious.
Alaa el-Seyyed, 26, a member of a protest organizing committee, said, "It is an accomplishment for us. But we will stay until all of our demands are realized — democracy and freedom."
Ahmed Medhat, a 41-year-old film director who was in the square earlier Thursday, said the news was a "good development."
"But we really want to know if it will be a military government or not. That’s our fear," he said. "Maybe it will be a military government for five months, it will be ok. But forever?"
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“We are waiting for the new government,” he added. “We are waiting for the speech of the president tonight. I believe that no one, nobody knows what happens tomorrow."
Hany Eissa, a 36-year-old Egyptian filmmaker who has attended the protests almost daily, said people were "fired up ... waiting for the demands to be met."
"If you deal with someone who is fluent in lying all the time, you don’t know what’s going to happen. We just hope that this time would be serious," he added.
'Everybody, BREATHE'
Nevine Zaki tweeted that, "ironically enough, the only credible source to confirm this news is State Television."
"Everybody, BREATHE could this be a trick to empty Tahrir square?" he added.
Al-Jazeera TV news correspondent Sherine Tadros reported that the military presence in downtown Cairo had increased in recent hours, with greater numbers of tanks making a highly visible presence.
The Secretary-General of the ruling NDP party, Dr. Hossam Badrawi, told the U.K's Channel 4 News that he was expecting Mubarak to stand aside in his televised address.
"I'm expecting him to pass his decision for the constitution amendments and for him to go to the constitution and transmit his authorities as president to his vice president," Badrawi told Channel 4 News.
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Badrawi added that Mubarak had made the decision reluctantly.
"He sees himself as someone who served his country," Badrawi said. "He made mistakes but he sees himself as someone that does not deserve getting out of power, of his service, that way. At the same time he realizes that it's the time to change. That's my impression in the last two days."
Other protesters were more cautious.
Alaa el-Seyyed, 26, a member of a protest organizing committee, said, "It is an accomplishment for us. But we will stay until all of our demands are realized — democracy and freedom."
Ahmed Medhat, a 41-year-old film director who was in the square earlier Thursday, said the news was a "good development."
"But we really want to know if it will be a military government or not. That’s our fear," he said. "Maybe it will be a military government for five months, it will be ok. But forever?"
“We are waiting for the new government,” he added. “We are waiting for the speech of the president tonight. I believe that no one, nobody knows what happens tomorrow."
Hany Eissa, a 36-year-old Egyptian filmmaker who has attended the protests almost daily, said people were "fired up ... waiting for the demands to be met."
"If you deal with someone who is fluent in lying all the time, you don’t know what’s going to happen. We just hope that this time would be serious," he added.
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