CAIRO (AP) - President Hosni Mubarak has said in an interview
with ABC News that he wants to leave office now, but cannot for
fear the country will sink deeper into chaos.

ABC's Christiane Amanpour says Mubarak told her Thursday that he
is troubled by deadly violence between anti- and pro-government
groups in Cairo's Tahrir Square and that the government is not
responsible for it.

In the interview at the presidential palace, Mubarak blamed the
outlawed Muslim Brotherhood for the violence.

Mubarak has said he will not run for office again after his term
ends this year, but protesters want him to leave now. According to
the ABC website, the president also said he did not intend for his
son, Gamal, to assume the presidency after him.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)