There`s a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening, which would be significant in terms of where the, hopefully, orderly transition in Egypt takes place
Washington (ANTARA News/Reuters) - There is a strong likelihood that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will step down this evening, the head of the CIA, Leon Panetta, said on Thursday.

"I got the same information you did," Panetta told a congressional hearing, without saying where his information came from.

"There`s a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening, which would be significant in terms of where the, hopefully, orderly transition in Egypt takes place."

Panetta was speaking at a hearing on global security threats, which touched on instability in the Middle East and unrest in Egypt in particular.

News reports had already been circulating about the possibility Mubarak might step down when Panetta spoke.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011