Egypt's army backs Mubarak plan

Egypt’s military is backing President Hosni Mubarak’s decision not to resign but to transfer most of his powers to his vice president.

The army’s statement today is likely to further enrage protesters who have marched to Mubarak’s Cairo palace and other key symbols of the hated regime in a new push to force the president out.

The statement – the second in two days – comes after a meeting of the military’s Supreme Council, led by the defence minister.

The military says it endorses Mubarak’s plan for a peaceful transfer of power and free and fair presidential elections later this year.

Hundreds of demonstrators formed a human barricade around the building that houses state TV and radio and were turning employees away.

Soldiers and tanks were guarding the street that leads to the building, which overlooks the Nile, but were not stopping protesters from pouring in.

“We are going to camp everywhere to put more pressure on the regime,” said Abdel-Rahman Samir, an organiser.

Another leading figure of the protest movement, Google executive Wael Ghonim, called for caution.

“The situation is complicated. I don’t want the blood of the martyrs to be wasted and at the same time I don’t want to see more bloodshed,” he said in comments posted on Facebook.

“We have really achieved significant political accomplishments in a short time but the youth’s demand of the ouster (of Mubarak) has not been accomplished.”

Later several hundred protesters gathered outside the presidential palace in Cairo, calling on Mubarak to step down.

The protesters are separated from the al-Ouruba palace gate by four army tanks and barbed wire.

It was not known whether Mubarak was at the palace in the Heliopolis area.