News reports: Hosni Mubarak falls into a coma

If true, could we be witnessing a convenient termination of an inconvenient figure, eliminating the need for a troublesome trial?

We have to admit, that was the first thought to flutter through our news-benumbed mind when we read this summation from The Journal, an Irish news site:

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is reported to have fallen into a “full coma” on Saturday evening at his family’s holiday residence.

The al-Masry al-Youm newspaper cited well-informed sources in saying that Mubarak – who fled to Sharm el-Sheikh on Thursday after announcing that he would remain in power until elections in September – had lapsed into a full coma in the UAE resort.

Al-Arabiya, reporting the story, adds that earlier rumours suggested Mubarak had fainted twice during the recording of his final speech, which was broadcast (and proclaimed to be live) on Thursday evening.

It further adds that there had been longstanding concerns over the former president’s health, since the 82-year-old had underwent surgery in March 2010 for an inflamed gallbladder.

Russian agency RIA Novosti, however, said the pro-government daily newspaper al-Gomhuria reported treatment for a “severe psychological condition” and denied that Mubarak was in physical ill-health.

It added that Mubarak was declining treatment for his unnamed psychological condition.

Egypt’s ambassador to the United States told NBC that Mubarak was in “bad health” but refused to give any further details.